Amulet
by Gothic-Romantic99
Summary: Hoggle is in love and the woman of his desires asks him to retrieve Jareth's amulet to prove his worth. The group sets out and find themselves in the center of a royal conspiracy. They soon discover the fatal reason Jareth never removes the amulet. Warning: Chapters 13 and 14 are rather violent.
1. Andrea

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

Author's Note: Don't worry, I'm still working on A Voice So Sweet, but this is a plot that's been bugging me for over a year. It's my take on why Jareth never removes the amulet. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Tuesday nights always brought a smile to Sarah's face. It was the one night a week her three friends from the Underground congregated in her bedroom, as it was the only time that worked for each member.

The four often engaged in activities such as board games or watching a movie. The Goblin Kingdom did not have electricity, so it was a treat for the three nonhumans.

Sarah presented her friends with sugar cookies topped with green sprinkles and glasses of chocolate milk. After his first visit Ludo realized how much he enjoyed chocolate, a delicacy not to be found anywhere in the Underground. Sarah shuddered at the thought of having to live a lifetime without her favorite dessert.

Didymus recounted his most recent victory over a goblin bandit who tried to invade his land. Ludo howled with laughter at the fox goblin's exaggerated tale.

Sarah glanced over at Hoggle sat unusually quiet for the duration of the story. He barely ate any of the cookies that sat in his lap. He usually scarved down the treats before the human could even tell him the name of the food he was ingesting. Next to Didymus, who enjoyed having the floor, the dwarf found pleasure in telling stories to his friends. Now he sat there, staring out into space, occasionally nibbling on the sweet. The crumbs fell to the floor, forgotten as Hoggle's eyes stared at the blue wall ahead of him.

With a chuckle Didymus called, "You remember how he headed straight for the bog, Hoggle?"

The dwarf looked up at the sound of his name. His cheeks reddened at the sight of three pairs of eyes fixed on him. He lowered his head and nodded in response.

Didymus accepted Hoggle's reply then continued his account. Sarah, however, fell deaf to the soldier's story and stared at the dwarf. Hoggle was the first friend she made in the Underground and had been in regular acquaintance with him for over two years, yet not once could she recall a moment of such distance.

Ludo held the last cookie in his hand. He offered it to Hoggle who politely shook his head and declined the treat. Ludo smiled then swallowed it whole.

Sarah pursed her lips. She saw Ludo speak to Hoggle and used the time to find out what troubled her friend without bringing unwanted attention to him. She looked over at Didymus who was still beaming with pride over the memory of his victory. The goblin glanced up at the brunette who signaled with her eyes for him to follow her.

They stopped a few feet down from the other two. Sarah sat down on the carpet and whispered loud enough for only the fox goblin to hear, "What's wrong with Hoggle?" Her eyes landed back on the mentioned then added, "He doesn't seem himself."

Didymus' smile faded. "So you noticed it, after all?" he asked. His smile returned as he shrugged, "'Twas my intentions to let him be the one to tell ye the good news."

"G—good news?" Sarah asked.

Didymus nodded. He placed a hand upon his chest and answered, "My lady, Hoggle's heart is stolen by a pixie."

Sarah wrinkled her brow, "What?"

"Hoggle's in love," Didymus exclaimed a bit too loudly.

Hoggle blinked at what he perceived as his personal business being discussed like court gossip. Before the dwarf could express his annoyance Sarah wrapped her arms tightly about his torso.

"Hoggle!" she squealed. Hoggle gasped for air, making Sarah release her hold. With a smile she added, "That's so sweet."

"Yes, being in love is a joyous occasion," Didymus added. "A lady desires a worthy gentleman to sweep her off her feet."

Sarah laughed. "You're quite the lady's man, aren't you Didymus?"

The fox chuckled and his face brightened as much as the dwarf's.

Sarah plopped down on her bed. She laid on her stomach with her hands folded under her chin and gave a sweet smile. "So, Hoggle, tell me a little about this girl."

Hoggle squirmed. "Her name is Andrea," he replied. "She's a pixie."

Sarah titled her head to the right.

Hoggle stared up at the ceiling. "She's amazing." He shook his head. "But I don't think she'd want me."

"Why not?" Sarah asked.

Hoggle sighed. "I'm not her type. She's so smart and pretty. If you saw her you'd know."

Sarah smacked her lips. "If she knows the Hoggle I know, she won't be able to help falling for you."

"That is correct," Didymus exclaimed as he hopped up. The tiny creature marched around with his sword in hand. "You, my friend, are a courageous, honorable man with all good intentions for your friends."

Sarah put a hand on Hoggle's shoulder. The dwarf looked at her and swallowed the spit forming in his throat. He knew everything his friends spoke was the truth. He just needed to gather the confidence to confront Andrea himself.

"Why don't you go and ask her out on a date?" Sarah suggested.

Hoggle sighed. "I don't think I know how." His eyes met with Sarah's. "It's been so long since I've considered courting someone."

"You'll never know until you try," Sarah replied. The teen sat up and tucked one leg against her while allowing the other to sway freely over the carpet. "Believe me, there have been so many times I held back what I wanted to say." Her face became solemn. "And I missed out on opportunities, perhaps potential boyfriends." She gently nudged Hoggle in the arm. "Give it a go. The worst she can do is say no."

Hoggle nodded. "You're right, Sarah."

"Well, what are you waiting for, go ask her," Didymus exclaimed.

Hoggle jumped up and straightened out his clothes. He picked up the napkin by his feet and wiped away what crumbs were left behind from the cookie.

He headed for the mirror and suddenly stopped. He turned around and faced his human friend. "Sarah, I'd feel more comfortable if you came with me."

Sarah smiled and nodded. "Alright." She stepped off the bed. "I'd like to meet this Andrea who has you all wound up."

"Yes, my lady, Andrea is a lovely one," Didymus spoke.

It had been several months since Sarah last visited the Goblin Kingdom. She doubted she would be greeted with a hearty welcome from the majority of the citizens. Still, her loyalty to Hoggle provided her with the motivation needed to enter the land she longed to never have to return to out of her own free will. The four stepped through the mirror and were transported to the Underground.

* * *

The Goblin Kingdom seemed different than the last time she ventured through its many obstacles. Unlike her time, the kingdom seemed to be approaching midday. It felt warmer than the last time she stepped foot into the land. The Labyrinth proved to only be a fortress instead of a torturous mind game.

Hoggle led his friends to his hometown, a village outside the Goblin City. It was a farming community complete with green fields and rushing streams. Sarah smiled at the scenery that appeared to be something out of a fairytale. Then again some would argue that the Underground was the root of all fairytales. The four marched down the gravel pathway until they reached the purple gates surrounding a tiny, white cottage. A grand garden surrounded the house full of fresh vegetables and flowers in every color. The scent alone could put a person in a romantic trance.

Hoggle pushed through the gate and ascended the three steps that led to the door. The house was only a foot taller than Sarah. Hoggle knocked on the door. Half a minute passed before the door opened and a slender woman draped in a maroon gown appeared in the doorway. Sarah's eyes widened at the gorgeous creature standing before her. She was an inch shorter than Hoggle, with a long, slim nose, pointed ears, and light blue skin. Her golden curls fell about her head, giving her an angelic presence. She looked up at the group with her sapphire eyes and welcomed them in with a wave of her finger.

"That's Andrea?" Sarah whispered.

Ludo and Didymus nodded in response. Hoggle's face brightened with a large grin. He stomped the mud off his shoes on the step before entering the house. The other three followed his lead. Sarah crouched down to enter the home. She had to walk in with her back curved until she reached the living room.

Andrea motioned for her guests to take a seat. The human wasted no time in making herself more comfortable. Didymus sat down beside Sarah and gave Andrea compliments on her home decor. Ludo could not fit through the door of Andrea's humble home and had to watch from outside the window.

Hoggle twiddled his thumbs for a few seconds as he watched the object of his affection make her way to the kitchen adjacent to the living room.

He jumped up and followed after the blonde. "Do you need any help w—with th—the refreshments?" he asked while his heart raced. Andrea flashed him a smile and handed Hoggle a tray of teacups.

The pixie fluttered over by the glass and opened the pane so Ludo could hear their conversation. She offered him a teacup and he smiled, bringing the warm liquid to his lips. Sarah sipped at the tea, finding it made exactly to her liking.

"It's so rare I have visitors from the Aboveground," Andrea said upon sitting cross-legged on a cushioned wicker chair. "What brings you to our world?"

Sarah cleared her throat. "It's been years since I last came." Sarah glanced away. "I can't say I had much of a choice in the matter."

Andrea smacked her lips. "Let me guess, it was that nasty king who forced you into one of his games."

Sarah gasped. "You know about that?"

Andrea nodded. "So many humans are brought here on his account. Many surrender within moments." She politely sipped from the porcelain mug. Pulling the cup from her lips she spoke, "Yes, now I remember." She smiled at the youth. "You are the legendary Sarah, the only one to have ever defeated the Labyrinth."

Sarah blushed. "I didn't realize I had that kind of reputation."

"Yes, word travels fast around here," Andrea replied.

Sarah slumped. "I guess that's a good thing." She shook her head, tossing her hairs behind her shoulder. "Though I'm glad Jareth hasn't tried to contact me since."

Andrea smiled. "Consider yourself lucky."

Hoggle kept his eyes on the pixie the entire time she spoke. He found his eyes following the spoon as she twirled it around in her cup. She brought the china to her lips and gulped it down.

Sarah cleared her throat catching the attention of everyone in the room. Hoggle glanced up at the girl who nodded at him. He followed her eyes as they looked over at the pixie. Andrea narrowed her eyes then looked over at Hoggle. The dwarf placed the teacup on the table and wiggled his fingers as his voice tried to form words.

Sarah rolled her eyes upon noticing Hoggle was not going to speak unless prompted.

"Andrea," Sarah said placing her cup down on the table. The pixie repositioned herself on the chair and met eyes with Sarah. "Hoggle has come to ask you something."

"Really?" Andrea asked. She turned her eyes to see Hoggle sweating. She chuckled. "What might that be, dearest Hoggle?"

Hoggle stammered, "Andrea, I-I-I would li-like to ask you…"

Andrea shrugged and nodded for him to continue. Sarah squeezed her hand hoping that her friend would not chicken out. Ludo smiled, reminding himself that Hoggle needed to ask her himself.

"Andrea," Hoggle repeated. "I was wondering if—if you're not with—if you don't have—if you're single, if you would like to…"

"Are you asking for my hand in courtship?" Andrea asked with a giggle.

Hoggle stared up at her with wide eyes. "You wouldn't mind?"

Andrea shook her head. She took hold of Hoggle's shaking hand. "I think it would be wonderful." She smiled making the dwarf's face turn redder than before. "You are a handsome man." She looked over at Sarah, "And from what I've heard about how you assisted her on her quest." She touched Hoggle's nose. "You're a brave one."

Hoggle shrugged and stammered as he spoke, "I s—suppose."

"My lady, I can vouch that Hoggle's among the most courageous inhabitants of the Goblin Kingdom," Didymus proclaimed. "Perhaps even in the entirety of the Underground."

Andrea's eyes widened in synchrony with her smile. "Is that so?"

"Very much so," Sarah replied before the nervous dwarf could negate the compliment.

"Well," Andrea squealed. "That really says something about your character." She stood up. Hoggle watched her pace the area in front of him. The pixie rested her hand under her chin. "Though I must confess you're not the only one to take an interest in me." She sighed. "Even though you are the most intriguing of all, there are lots of men who have asked for my hand."

"But Hoggle's not like the others," Sarah argued. She stood up too fast and bumped her head on the ceiling. Sarah sat back down, holding her injured noggin.

Andrea knelt down beside Hoggle's chair. "I do admire you most." She kissed his knuckles making him nearly pass out. "I want to know if you are who you claim to be." She bowed and lifted herself to a standing position. "That's why I ask you to prove your courage."

"Yes, anything," Hoggle replied.

"The king, Jareth," Andrea spoke with a sigh. Hoggle nodded and took Andrea's hands in his. A tear slid down Andrea's cheek.

"What's…why do you cry?" Hoggle asked.

Andrea parted one hand from Hoggle to wipe away the tear. "Jareth stole something dear to me years ago. Only none have been brave enough to retrieve it."

Sarah gasped. She knew Jareth to be selfish, tricky, and vain, but never expected the king to be guilty of theft.

Andrea sniffed. "You know that amulet he wears around his neck." Hoggle nodded, never once seeing his king without it. "He took it from me many, many years ago. It's been in my family for generations." Andrea glanced up and looked over at Sarah and Didymus. "He tricked me out of it." The pixie sobbed. "It's all I have left to remember my grandfather by. And that horrible man proudly displays it everywhere he goes. I know he does it to torment my family. He never liked us."

"I can't believe him," Sarah said with a growl.

"You don't know of all the horrible things he's done here," Andrea retorted. She wiped away new tears. "I promised my grandfather that I would marry no one but the man who brings back our prized possession." She looked Hoggle in the eyes. "You do this for me and I will be yours forever."

Hoggle nodded. "Don't you worry, Andrea. I will get it for you." He took her smooth hand in his. His heart pulsed with each second he was blessed to stare in those mesmerizing orbs.

"Thank you," Andrea said with a weak smile. She ran her fingers down Hoggle's cheek. "I hope that no danger comes your way."

"I'd do anything for you," Hoggle confessed. "My fondness for you has driven me near madness."

Andrea giggled. "You have my sincerest gratitude, Hoggle." She looked up at Sarah. "You all do."

Sarah smiled. She vowed at that moment to help her friend complete his mission as he helped her not too long ago. Didymus and Ludo also agreed to go along with him. The four set off on their second quest to the Goblin Castle.

Andrea waved them off as they headed away from the village. She closed the door and leaned against it, smiling. She could almost feel the amulet in her grasp.


	2. The Quest Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or Return to Labyrinth.

Author's Notes:

1) Sorry for the delay with this story. It took a while to decide how I wanted this all to play out. I thought this story could be more fantasy/adventure based, so it will be heading in that direction.

2) For those of you reading A Voice So Sweet you will recognize my OC Lex, a goblin servant of Jareth. I created him for A Voice So Sweet, but I wanted to put him in this story as well. I thought it would be better to just recycle a character instead of making up a whole new one.

Thank you Stacy Vorosco for reviewing the first chapter.

On with the story!

* * *

The four friends stopped just before reaching the end of the village. The same thought passed through everyone's mind although no one had yet to find a way to bring it up in conversation. That shared thought centered around how the four of them would defeat Jareth.

The task would be more difficult in that this time it was not a game, but an actual attempt to steal from beneath the king's nose. Nonetheless, it was the prize of Andrea's heart that motivated the dwarf.

Sarah turned around to observe each of her comrades. Hoggle appeared to be in deep thought with a hint of worry displayed upon his face. Didymus held that proud grin in addition to longing for adventure. Ludo rarely expressed his feelings as his usual smile stayed on his face. Sarah tried to keep up a confident countenance, but it proved more difficult as she had not the benefit of being forced into the game this round. Somehow she felt Jareth held back last time for both her sake and his own amusement, but now that she had not the same motive he would be even more of an adversary.

"Just wondering, how are we supposed to get the amulet off Jareth's neck?" Sarah asked not being able to stand the silence any longer. She never intended to see Jareth face to face again. She hoped there was a way to help Hoggle with his task without having to deal with the goblin king, all while knowing there was little chance of that.

"Good question," Hoggle replied. He placed his fingers on his chin and thought. "It won't be easy to take it from Jareth." He looked up. "I've never seen him without it."

Didymus jumped up. "I shall retrieve the item!" he shouted. He waved around a sword while laughing. "All shall be done for love and land. I do not fear the Goblin King! Let him bring on his fiercest armies. We shall defeate them with ease."

Sarah smiled as she was used to Didymus' behavior.

"I don't think I should go directly for the amulet," Hoggle suggested. The other three looked at him with confusion. Hoggle clenched his fists and looked down at the gravel. "That awful Jareth stole it from Andrea's family." He looked Sarah in the eye. "I don't want him to become angry and go after her. If he saw me with her he would know the reason I stole it and he…" Hoggle ceased speaking as he thought over the possible tortures Jareth would inflict on the innocent pixie.

Ludo nodded and let out a moan.

"We need to come up with a good plan," Sarah stated. "I mean we can't just walk up to the goblin kingdom and ask to borrow the necklace."

"No we can't," Hoggle stated. "But maybe you can…" he stopped suddenly causing everyone to look at him in confusion. The dwarf waved his hands and shouted in excitement. He pointed at Sarah. "What if you were able to get close enough to Jareth and when the moment presents itself you snatch it. He'd never suspect your motives." Hoggle clenched his fist then brought it towards his body. He grinned as he thought of how he would escape with Andrea's prized possession.

"What makes you think that would work?" Sarah asked. "It's not like he'd want to see me after two years."

"I don't know," Hoggle retorted. "You brought him more excitement than anyone else in almost seven decades."

"True," Didymus agreed. "He was quite smitten with you, my lady."

Sarah wrinkled her nose at the thought of Jareth wanting to be with her. Not only was there the definite age difference, but nothing other than trouble ever spawned from that man. Then again what she observed about most of the subjects in the Goblin Kingdom, there were very few who seemed as though they could hold an intelligent conversation with her, let alone their king. In that brief moment she pitied Jareth. That feeling soon passed when she thought of all the suffering Jareth had caused.

The human could only think of that innocent pixie back in the village as she sadly revealing her story. She understood how Jareth could take unwanted children from Earth and raise them as his own, but the fact that a powerful king would take a precious medallion from another of his subjects baffled her. She wondered what purpose other than his own vanity that amulet served him.

"What do you say, Sarah?" Hoggle asked.

Sarah lowered her eyes to meet Hoggle. The dwarf seemed so eager to win the woman's heart. If anyone deserved a chance at love it was Hoggle.

She sighed, "You're serious about this?" Sarah paused and corrected, "About her?"

Hoggle nodded. He lowered his face with a sincere smile. "I've never felt this way about anyone. I think she might actually be the one." The image of the two of them sharing that cottage as a wedded couple seized his thoughts.

"It's so sweet, how far you'll go for her," Sarah stated.

"It's not just that," Hoggle said. He kicked a loose stone in front of him. He placed his hands behind his back finding it difficult to make eye contact with the others. "It's wrong, the way Jareth stole from her family." Hoggle glanced up at Sarah. "You had your chance to stop one of Jareth's injustices. Now it's my turn."

Sarah pumped her fist. "Well if it's that important to you, you can count me in." She shook hands with the dwarf. "After all it's the least I can do after what you did for me."

Ludo and Didymus also vowed to stay by Hoggle's side until the missions close. All in agreement, they continued their journey to Jareth's castle. Little did they know the goblin king had already been notified of Sarah's presence.

* * *

Deep within the interior of the goblin castle dwelt the goblin king. He was a proud man who relied on magic as a way to govern his subjects. He was not opposed to behaving somewhat cruel to those who dared to defy his law. Despite his horrid reputation those who loyally served the king had their reasons for wanting to put their lives on the line for his.

Jareth sat in at the desk in his study reading through the endless amount of paperwork that covered his desk. There was so much he needed to double check in terms of the census and tax documents. Not to mention there were several petitions from guilds within the kingdom. Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose before lifting his head from the many papers that stung his red-lined eyes. He contemplated calling a servant to fetch him his seventh cup of coffee. It was in the midst of these times that Jareth wish he had someone he could trust enough to be his secretary.

Jareth tossed the current document on top of another before standing to stretch out his aching limbs. He walked over to the grand window that displayed the view of the Labyrinth.

Jareth looked out over his creation with a smile. It was his father's idea to create some kind of wall to protect the inhabitants from possible invaders. It was not until Jareth took the throne that he put his father's will into action. His second week in command Jareth began construction of the Labyrinth. So many forgot how that project supplied many needy families with jobs. The process took nearly seven years to complete. Once the structure stood tall, covering miles beyond his castle the goblins prepared a celebration. The goblins were well known throughout the Underground for coming up with any excuse to party. Jareth rarely attended the activities of the parties, but observed the goblins' merriment from his throne.

Suddenly the doors to his study flung open and one of Jareth's top servants bowed down before him. Jareth folded his hands behind his back before turning to face the servant. Jareth softned his expression upon looking at one of his most trusted men.

"Your majesty," Lex said with his eyes still focused on the ground. He waited until he received the king's permission to rise before doing so. The goblin's deep brown eyes stared into the mismatched ones belonging to Jareth. "My king," Lex began. Jareth noticed how the usual prompt goblin slightly quivered.

"What is it, Lex?" Jareth asked.

Lex swallowed. Jareth's hands gripped the back of his chair. Thus far he did not like where this conversation was heading.

"I bring news from the lookout," Lex replied.

Jareth stepped back. The Underground kingdoms had been at peace with each other for almost five decades. It was unlikely that any of the lands would be foolish enough to break the alliance for the other six would team up against the rebel nation. Jareth had feared it was only a matter of time before Moraine broke the peace treaty. Queen Mizumi was one who found too much satisfaction in expanding her territory in addition to her hasty temperament.

Lex continued, "The tower guard announced that the human Sarah Williams has returned to our kingdom."

Jareth's suspicions of possible warfare vanished from his thoughts. True this news was less threatening and lifted a burden from his heart. There was no way the goblin army was ready to go into battle against the powerful ice witch. Still Sarah's name was not usually aligned with happy thoughts. The goblin king irately sighed.

Lex backed up.

"Have you any news on the purpose for her arrival?" Jareth asked, his eyes fixed on the window.

Lex shook his head. "No, Sir. As of now I only know that she is present in our land."

Jareth broke eye contact. "Let her be," he said with a wave of his hand. "If she causes any trouble then I shall deal with her."

"If I may, my lord," Lex asked. Jareth nodded for his servant to speak. "Captain Ridder has asked to speak to you about possible information regarding the human."

Jareth sighed at the mention of that warrior's name. Still there was no denying that his army's captain was the best at his job of collecting information.

"Very well," Jareth replied, not bothering to hide his irritation. "Have Ridder report to me at once."

Lex nodded his understanding and bowed before his king before heading off to carry out his orders. Jareth watched the loyal servant disappear from his view. Jareth wished more of his subjects had the same amount of intelligence and obedience as Lex. He felt he was fortunate enough to be blessed with the few select good servants.

Jareth sat back down in his chair behind the desk. He leaned forward with his hands folded. The only thoughts running through his mind now consisted of Sarah's purpose for returning to his kingdom. If he knew the girl he thought he wanted that day she ran the Labyrinth then he was aware that she would not return to him unless it was an errand of high importance. Jareth sighed as he thought of what could be her mission.

The goblin king smirked at the mounds of paperwork occupying his desk. He rose once more and headed towards the window, telling himself this investigation was more of a priority than completing the assignment at hand.

* * *

The four continued their second trip through the Labyrinth. Now knowing which paths to take and who they could and could not trust, it cut the traveling time in half. The fact that they had yet to come across a trap or unpleasant guard gave them reason to believe that Jareth lacked any knowledge of Sarah's presence.

Sarah clutched her elbows. She occasionally passed glances at each of her friends.

Didymus marched on with a smile and heart of a true warrior. The fox goblin once told her he served in his last war fifty years ago when the Underground Alliance was under attack by a rival land. Didymus' age took hold of his mind skewing the details of much of what happened during the battles. All he remembered for sure was the day they won in which the victors celebrated in the streets. Didymus still glistened with pride when he told that story.

Ludo showed very little concern; a smile covered his face as usual. Most who met with the giant fled at his appearance, but as his friends understood he was nothing to fear. Sarah found herself lucky that the three could rely on his loyalty at any time.

The last in the group Sarah looked at was the one she had the closest bond with. Hoggle was the first creature she met when she accepted Jareth's terms to complete the Labyrinth. The first moment she met Hoggle, she knew he was a complicated creature, one she could not completely trust. She had been betrayed by the dwarf twice during her adventure. Both those cowardly moments were quickly forgiven when Hoggle risked his own life for their safety—most importantly hers. Since then he had done anything she asked and more. Now it was her turn to help him gain what he desired.

The travelers suddenly halted before a stone bridge that crossed over Mourning River. For some reason this area held no familiarity for the girl. A forest of twisted and lifeless trees served as a fence for the river. Over to the right stood a wooden sign with a posted warning. Sarah found herself approaching said sign.

"What's it say?" Ludo asked.

Sarah stepped forward. She brushed away the dust and moss that covered some of the black letters. She read out loud:

_Beware all who travel hither_

_For thou trespasses upon Mourning River._

_Rightfully has it received its name_

_Because the many lives its waters have claimed._

_The bridge houses one who sees into the soul._

_Be thy mission one of peace you may continue your goal,_

_but if any evil rests within thy heart_

_Expect not with thy lives this river to part_.

"That sounds lovely," Hoggle grumbled.

Sarah wrinkled her nose in disgust. A thought suddenly struck her. She looked at the other three and asked, "How come we didn't come across this the first time?"

Didymus shrugged. Ludo and Hoggle exchanged glances. The yeti had no knowledge of this river.

Hoggle lifted his eyes to meet with Sarah's. "Sarah, do you remember when you kissed me and we landed at the Bog of Eternal Stench?" Sarah groaned and nodded when the memory surfaced. Hoggle continued, "We would've eventually came here, but instead we were sent straight to the bog."

Sarah's eyes widened. She looked over at the mist and shadows that crept across her line of vision. She suddenly wished they were facing the bog instead.

"Is there another way around this?" Sarah asked.

Hoggle nodded. "There is but it's a three days journey."

Sarah sighed. "What about the bog? Can't we go that way?"

Didymus replied, "I'm afraid the bridge is currently out of commission."

Hoggle added, "To go around the bog will take an extra four days to lead to the castle." Hoggle nodded straight ahead. "This bridge leads straight to the castle."

Sarah groaned. "Then it looks like we have no choice." Her eyes met with the ominous bridge once more. She twitched then stepped forward. She turned to face her friends. "I mean we should have no problem. The sign warns only against evil people. Our intentions are good."

Hoggle nodded. "Yes, yes they are."

"Our mission is one of great love and chivalry!" exclaimed Didymus. "The fair lady awaits our return and we shall see it done."

Ludo nodded with a smile.

The four carefully approached the bridge. The fog became thicker and cut down the oxygen level to a bare minimum. Sarah wheezed as she gasped for air. Didymus and Hoggle found their short stature a benefit as they were not as limited as the other two. The atmosphere gradually became warmer and the land suddenly silent. They kept their eyes open for any possible enemy passing through.

"Ludo scared," the giant murmured.

"Courage, my lad," said Didymus.

Hoggle's knees trembled. He suddenly pondered if retrieving the amulet was worth all this hassle. Even if they made it across the bridge, crossing Jareth was way more terrifying than lying dead at the bottom of the river. The image of Andrea's smiling face entered Hoggle's brain erasing all reason for him to turn back.

The group carefully began their journey over the bridge. Not once did a one of them noticed the pair of emerald eyes watching their every move.


	3. Mourning River

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Labyrinth, so I think this disclaimer will count for the rest of the story. I don't own Labyrinth.

Thank you MarcoHietala'sAngel, Stacy Vorosco, and Thunderstorm 101 for reviewing the last chapter. It's much appreciated.

MarcoHietala'sAngel- I haven't decided yet if there will be Sarah/Jareth fluff, but there will be some interactions between the two in future chapters. I don't know yet if there's going to be any romance or not though.

* * *

The captain of the goblin army proudly marched towards the office where his king awaited his presence. A smirk crept over his face the second he was notified that Jareth wished to speak with him.

Ridder entered the study without knocking, his chest puffed out. He saluted to which Jareth mirrored then nodded for him to stand at ease. The guard cleared his throat then swiftly approached the desk with his hands clamped behind his back.

"You called, your majesty?" Ridder announced.

Jareth nodded. "I did, Captain Ridder." He motioned for the officer to take a seat. The captain waved off the gesture and remained standing. Jareth lifted his eyebrow then resumed his seat behind the desk. "Lex has informed me that—"

Those were the only words that Jareth could manage before the captain interrupted. His booming voice caused Jareth to wince while holding his ears. "My king, Lex speaks without gathering knowledge. You should have entrusted me with being the one to bear you any news of outsiders approaching."

"Yes," Jareth said in hopes to get the other goblin to quiet his tone. Jareth blinked then lined his eyes to stare into the chestnut ones belonging to Ridder. "Lex informed me that Sarah Williams, the girl from Aboveground, has been spotted in the Goblin Kingdom." He folded his hands then leaned forward. "Can you confirm this?"

"Yes, of course, my king," Ridder said with a laugh. "It was actually I who spotted her and sent word for the tower guard to approach you. How the message was relayed to Lex is beyond me."

"Tell me, Captain," Jareth said already dreading the response. "Do you know Sarah's intentions for invading my land?" He was certain that after the girl won the game of the labyrinth and was awarded the prize of her brother's freedom that she would never curse his land again with her presence.

"That we cannot be certain of at the moment," Ridder announced. "Yet I inform you my best guess is that she is heading in the direction of the castle."

Jareth's head jerked up. His eyes were solely focused on the captain. "She's heading this way." He looked down at his hands mapping out all the possible routes Sarah could travel. No doubt they would take the quickest, and with Hoggle, one who memorized the land, could give her the best directions. Either she would pass the bog or the river, neither one a pleasant landmark.

"Yes, and given her direction, there is suspicion that she might be in leagues with Moraine," Ridder stated.

Jareth shook his head. "I doubt that, it's unlikely she would travel to the Underground without proper motivation." As he finished those words he recalled that moment she rejected him.

"Perhaps she still feels sore about your last encounter and Mizumi offered her a chance at revenge," Ridder replied.

Despite the slim possibility that Sarah would willingly come to his kingdom again, a part of him believed Ridder's theory. Ever since the day he lost romantic interest in Moraine's queen she became cold and ruthless towards him. It was only out of love for their own lands that their kingdoms had not clashed in battle. Still the goblin king waited for the moment Mizumi gained what she needed to begin an assault on the kingdom she desired, if only to see pain and horror on Jareth's face.

Had the news of Sarah's defeat of his Labyrinth reached Mizumi's ears, it was possible that she might seek the human girl to assist her in her quest to eliminate a common enemy.

"I won't rule it out," Jareth stated at last. "But I want to hear her story."

"Of course," Ridder said with a smile.

"And how far has she trekked?" Jareth questioned.

"My men assured me the group has approached the Mourning River," Ridder replied.

Jareth's heart skipped. He rose to his feet faster than the other goblin could exhale. He let out a quick cry which he disguised as a grunt. Jareth let the noise escape his mind for the time being.

"The Mourning River," he stated barely above a murmur, but the other goblin caught it.

"Not to worry, my king, there is little chance she will pass its test," Ridder said with a chuckle.

"No," Jareth retorted. He paced behind his desk with his fingers at his lips. "Captain, how soon can you move a small army to capture the human and her friends?"

The mentioned crossed his burly and very hairy arms. "I'd say about an hour to ready ourselves and another three to approach her." He tossed his head back. "But I see no sense in forming the platoon, because none have motives that pure."

"Negative," Jareth interrupted. "I will not have another human fall victim to the river witch's test." Jareth's memory flooded with the images of two past teenagers who had traveled the Labyrinth in search of the ones they wished away. It was his deepest regrets that none of his guards could reach them before they stepped upon the river's bridge. Their corpses had yet to be discovered to this day. "Have an army ready and waiting for them on the other side of the bridge if they are lucky to pass."

Jareth formed a crystal in his hand.

"My king, what are you doing?" Ridder asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I must stop her, it's the only way to save her life," Jareth said before vanishing before the goblin's sight.

Jareth materialized just outside the entrance to the river. The sky above hovered with dark clouds. His gaze shot forward to where the figures of three of his subjects and the only one to complete his Labyrinth disappeared into the misty shadows. Jareth called out Sarah's name, rushing forward only to be pushed back by the stench of must. He squinted his eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of the female or her friends. He called her name once more to receive no reply.

Jareth clutched at his platinum blonde hair. He looked down at the ground with a heavy heart. Surely were he to step into the murk, his intentions would give him reason to pass the test. Still he doubted the others would be allowed to leave with him. Jareth's boot dug into the muck at the foot of the bridge. His heart ached while his mind sang apologies for the ones who would never escape the cursed territory.

* * *

The air became thicker with each step. The humidity surrounded their bodies, the flesh sweating while their lungs gasped for air. What they inhaled tasted awful. The heat began to play tricks on their minds. All, save Didymus, found themselves succumbing to fatigue.

"Ludo can't breathe," the giant gasped.

"Come on, just a bit further," Hoggle said short of breath.

Sarah inhaled deeply to cough on the liquid mixed in the atmosphere. She attempted to push her saturated hair behind her ears only to leave a sticky residue on her fingers. She wiped them against her jeans and writhed in the discomfort of sweat leaking from her armpits and thighs. Mosquitoes buzzed about, lunging at the chance for a walking meal. Hoggle smacked the fifth vermin who attempted to puncture his skin.

"Not so different from home," Didymus proclaimed, used to a similar climate at the bog. He led the group through the thick atmosphere with his sword held high.

Sarah scratched a fresh bite, her lips spilling a curse at the parasite. Her foot slipped in what appeared to be green slime.

"Oh gross," Sarah said upon catching her balance on the handrail. Hoggle and Ludo rushed to her side to help her upright once more. Despite the heat Sarah found herself shivering at the sight of the gunk.

Hoggle felt a twist in his stomach. He glanced up at Sarah, feeling ashamed for bringing her into this uncomfortable place. His eyes switched to Ludo who appeared to be suffering the most. The yeti's face was drooped into a frown while his lungs attempted to inhale the required oxygen for him to continue forward.

Sarah's fingers stayed along the rail for support and the hopes that it would lead them along the path. Neither of them could see a foot in front of their eyes. The yellow fog bellowed in their faces. Sarah got the urge to jump into the river if just for the chance to cool off. She shoved those thoughts away, suddenly terrified at what creatures lurked in the water. Her hand slid across something that felt both smooth and slimy that moved at the touch. She recoiled and brought her palm to her chest, her eyes darting around for the creature.

"Guys!" Sarah called out in a whisper.

"What troubles you, my lady?" Didymus asked.

"Something just mo—" was all Sarah managed to say before something gripped her legs and she let out on ear-shattering scream.

The other three took defense stances. Hoggle felt something approach and he turned about, ready to punch whatever came his way. After a brief moment of silence the dwarf let down his guard and that was when the vine wrapped around his abdomen, pulling him against a tree. The fog was thinner where he lay and he glanced over to find Sarah struggling against the trunk of the same tree.

"Sarah," Hoggle called.

The human looked over in his direction with wide eyes. She reached out for him, but another vine wrapped about her wrist and pulled her arm at a painful angle against the bark.

Ludo was thrown against the tree with heavy impact. The giant let out a yelp before the vines encircled his body. Didymus fought off the flora for a while, his sword slicing at the slimy tentacles. Green liquid spurted around the bridge while the fallen vine fell at his feet. Didymus tried to shake the slime from his body, allowing another set of vines to encircle him and force him where the others waited. The sword fell against the floor of the bridge with a loud clang. The four friends chattered amongst themselves, hoping to come up with a strategy to escape.

"This must've been what the sign meant when it said no one gets out alive," Hoggle wheezed as the vine constricted about his chest.

"We can't give up," Didymus exclaimed, refusing to cease his struggling.

Ludo tried to speak, but the pain in his chest from lack of oxygen proved to be too much to handle.

"We shouldn't have come here," Hoggle said with downcast eyes. "I'm sorry. I brought this upon you all."

"Hoggle, it's not your fault," Sarah replied in a low voice. "We chose to come with you."

"But it is my fault, Sarah," Hoggle said as his eyes welled with tears. "Now we're all gonna die 'cause of me."

"We'll find a way out, I promise," Sarah said wiggling beneath the restraints.

"The lady speaks aright," Didymus agreed.

"That all depends on me," said a voice from beneath the tree.

Four pairs of eyes stared down at a figure that emerged from the fog. It took the form of a curvy female. She stood just below five feet with wavy, dark brown locks falling at her waist. Her emerald eyes contained no pupils and her crooked lips were a deep shade of brown. Her skin was a sickly, pale green much like the fog itself. She wore a dress made of vines which connected to the ones that held the four in place.

"Who are you?" Sarah asked shortly. She wrinkled her nose, repulsed at the woman's appearance.

The lady chuckled. "You might want to be more cautious with your tone and thoughts for I'm the one who decides your fate."

"But I…wait, my thoughts?" Sarah asked.

The woman let out a deep laugh. Her eyes met with Sarah's, the very presence of the woman sent shivers down the human's spine.

She parted her lips and spoke in a sultry voice. "I'm the mistress of this land. You wish to exit my realm you will have to pass a test."

"What kind of test?" Sarah asked.

"Very quick to speak, aren't you, young one?" the woman asked. "Very well, if that be your dying wish. I'm Delilah, the guardian of Mourning River." She walked towards the tree and the vines that held Sarah brought the girl close to the witch. "I will search your mind. If your intentions for passing my river are pure then you have nothing to worry."

"But who are you to decide if what we think is pure?" Sarah asked.

Delilah reached out and grabbed Sarah's chin. The woman's fingers were as slimy as the substance that held her in place. "Bold words coming from one who hasn't the power to escape on her own." She tightened her grip causing Sarah to cry out in pain. "Many cross my bridge knowing it's the quickest path to the castle. They don't heed my warnings."

"But why must you read our minds?" Didymus asked.

The vines elevated Sarah back to her original spot against the trunk of the tree. Sarah was glad to be free from Delilah's hold.

"Good question, Didymus," Delilah replied. "Many who fall into my trap think they can fool me with false sincerity behind their words of valor." Delilah's grin widened, striking fear into the captives' hearts. "So I test their hearts to see if their words are true." She dropped the smirk then added, "If you speak righteously then you have nothing to fear."

"But why even do this?" Sarah asked.

Delilah's creepy smile returned. "Long before Jareth ruled this land his grandfather put me in charge of this river to protect him and his people from intruders. I was instructed to keep the ones who intend him harm from reaching the castle." She pointed to where the green water freely flowed at a steady pace beneath the wooden bridge. "The bones of the king's foes litter the river's floor."

"But there's no reason to continue. I mean the kingdom's been at peace for so long," Hoggle stated.

"This is still my property and I will do my job until the king removes my authority," Delilah said with a cackle. She knew the current goblin king did not possess the courage to enter her realm. "But enough idle chat, you've delayed the inevitable for long enough." She smiled at Sarah. "Since you're so eager to speak, you shall go first."

With those words Delilah removed the vines that kept hold on Sarah. The human fell to the ground with a thud. She stood up and rubbed her arm on which she landed. She stepped back the second she lifted her eyes as she had come face-to-face with the river witch for a second time. Sarah's heart raced with fear, for she knew the reason they dared to step upon the bridge. If Delilah was a loyal servant of Jareth she would undoubtedly send her to the depths below.

Delilah placed her palms around Sarah's temples earning a gag from the human. Sarah gasped when the woman's eyes glowed and the images and thoughts from Sarah's brain passed into Delilah's.

The woman read how Sarah's only desire was to help her friend succeed in his quest for true love. Delilah smiled and yearned to know more. She probed further which caused a wave of sleepiness to fall over Sarah. She saw the pixie begging the group to retrieve a family heirloom from the castle. She could not picture any details of the item in Sarah's mind, it was likely to be a detail that Hoggle's mind harbored. Delilah released her grip on Sarah's head.

"What did you see?" Sarah asked as she fell to her knees.

"All that you could tell me," Delilah replied. Sarah succumbed to sleep at Delilah's feet. The woman looked up at the other three. "Your friend has passed the test." They let out a collective sigh of relief. Delilah's face hardened. "However the three of you must endure your own trial."

Delilah's next victim was Ludo. As with Sarah she collected the thoughts from the yeti. He held even fewer details than Sarah, for he had never actually seen Jareth's amulet. Ludo's mind contained memories from the previous adventure when the four of them ran the Labyrinth to retrieve Toby. Ludo chanted in his thoughts that he only wanted Hoggle to be happy with the woman he loved. Delilah released the beast with the news that he too would survive the river. As with Sarah, Ludo fell into a deep sleep.

"There's only two of us now," Hoggle stated with a deep breath. He no longer feared as much as he had. If his friends were able to pass the test then he and Didymus were just as likely seeing as the four shared the same mission.

"Didymus," Delilah called. The fox ceased writhing and allowed the woman to search his thoughts. He kept a stern face while Delilah skimmed the images of the four venturing through the Labyrinth and approaching the river. There was some hesitation from the group but they ultimately decided to waste as little time as possible. Delilah smiled at the goblin's courage. Those who did brave her river rarely made it out alive, but she had to give them credit for at least attempting.

Didymus remembered the conversation with Andrea more clearly than the other two. Delilah's smile faded. She recognized the voice of the pixie, and was certain that she knew the face. The identity of the woman behind Didymus' eyes was not one she was greatly fond of. Still she chose to hide her bias and continue probing the goblin's thoughts. She watched as he vowed to put an end to injustices of all kinds.

Delilah released Didymus from her hold. Even if she did not agree with his quest, there was no doubt in her heart that he was the most noble of all the creatures she ever encountered.

"What are you doing to them?" Hoggle asked, fighting to stay awake.

"The flowers of this river emit pollen that puts those not used to it to sleep," Delilah answered. "Don't fret for when your friends awaken in three hours time they will be let go." She smiled down at the slumbering trio. "Their thoughts consisted of helping you in your journey much like you helped the female. I must admit her name has reached even my ears. The only one who has ever beaten the Labyrinth since Jareth's reign. That is quite a title."

"Sarah is quite a woman," Hoggle replied. "She is the best friend I ever had. She even agreed to help me out on this quest, even though it's dangerous."

Delilah smiled. "I am dangerous. My river is dangerous and yet you decided to take this path. The way of the mountains would have been safer. Longer, but away from danger." Delilah stepped closer to the dwarf. "Yet you, yourself, chose to take the quickest route to Jareth. You must really want something from the king and quick."

"I only want to help the woman I love," Hoggle said weakly. The vines lowered him towards the outstretched hand. He flinched at Delilah's touch.

"After reading the girl's thoughts, I wanted to save you for last," Delilah spoke. "If anyone has the details of this mission, it's you." She grabbed Hoggle's face. "Now hold still. I want to know what it is you require at the castle. What is worth your own lives?"

Hoggle held his breath. He knew what rested in the back of his mind as well as his many negative thoughts surrounding Jareth. His heart raced with fear. His eyes fell to his sleeping friends as it occurred to him that it was very likely that he would not be joining them on the other side of the river.

* * *

Jareth paced in front of the soldiers under Ridder's command. The captain had already briefed them on their mission, but the king wanted to make sure they understood the importance of bringing their captives back alive.

"None of you are to injure them, especially Sarah," Jareth stated with much force. "If there is any chance of their emergence you are to wait until they are completely out of Delilah's realm before you take them. Odds are they'll be exhausted, so they won't put up much of a fight."

Jareth glared into the face of every goblin. Beneath their armor the shook at their king's fierce stare. "I'll make this clear, they are not to be harmed in any way. Bring them to me at once."

"Yes, your majesty," the soldiers chorused.

"Off you go," Jareth announced.

With those words he nodded to Ridder who took the opportunity to mount his pony and lead the group in the direction of the Mourning River. Some of the soldiers stumbled on their way down the steps. Jareth grimaced as he wondered what happened to the graceful warriors he knew of the past. He placed his forehead in his palm to embrace a coming headache.

"Please be safe, Sarah," he whispered to no one.

* * *

Delilah's hands gripped Hoggle's face tightly. She licked her lips then moved closer.

"I've desired to see what thoughts linger behind your mind the most," Delilah stated. "It must be noble if these three are risking their very lives to see your goal fulfilled." She gave him a smile. "Still you must convince me to let you pass."

Hoggle held his breath while Delilah's eyes glowed with anticipation. She watched as Hoggle ran across the field then faceplanted in the dirt. A graceful pixie with translucent wings sat up to investigate what tripped over her body concealed in the wheat. The dwarf stared up at the beauty who greeted him with a grand smile. She hovered above his fallen body and offered her his hand. He fell into a trance staring into her eyes. It was as if a spell was placed upon his mind to think of nothing else at the moment. She introduced herself as Andrea. The next image showed Andrea inviting Hoggle to her house for tea to which the dwarf was eager to accept.

Delilah watched Andrea's facial expressions that Hoggle tended to overlook. While Hoggle only saw the smile his conscious conveniently neglected to notice Andrea's eyes rolling with a quick hint of disgust on her lips. When he spoke her face radiated with interest. Delilah frowned as she watched the pixie interact with Hoggle.

She saw Hoggle introduce his group of friends to the pixie. She eagerly accepted them into her home. She was most of all interested in Sarah. Andrea could hardly keep her gaze from the famous human of the Aboveground. She watched as Andrea revealed her agony of Jareth having stolen her amulet. Delilah's heart dropped at the surprising news that the king she respected for so long had lowered himself to stealing from his subjects. The image of the amulet that Jareth wore above his chest formed in her mind. She could almost make out the full picture as Hoggle remembered the time he saw Jareth sitting outside the castle tossing crystallized bubbles in the air as a means of entertaining his courtiers. Delilah's eyes widened as she thought she recognized said amulet which caused her to gasp.

Hoggle's thoughts soon switched to Andrea's weeping face. The monologue of how Jareth stole her family's trinket replayed through his mind. Delilah tried to retreat to the previous memory, but the one surrounding Andrea won the battle against her powers. Her eyes saw two identical images of Andrea begging Hoggle to retrieve the stolen item. Her promise to her deceased that she would only marry the one who brought back their heirloom resounded.

Delilah let out a squeak of agony and released her hold on Hoggle. The vines loosened their grip and the dwarf fell, unconscious before he could feel the impact. Delilah fell to her knees, her hands gripping her pounding head. She glanced up while a single silver tear dripped from her eye. Her lips formed into a smile. She crawled towards the slumbering dwarf, ignoring the pulsing in her brain for the time being.

"Never in my life have I seen such devotion, such love," Delilah said grasping hold of Hoggle's hand. Her heavy eyelids closed and she too gave into sleep.

Three hours later Didymus was the first to stir. He sat up with a yawn while stretching his arms above his head. He jumped up with a start while his brain registered where they rested. He glanced around at his slumbering friends. The woman who caused their distress lay beside Hoggle, her hand entwined in his.

Didymus shook Sarah's shoulder. The girl moaned and her eyelids fluttered, but refused to open. Didymus repeated the action with a stronger force. Sarah's eyes darted open to stare into the smiling face of the fox.

"Did—Didymus, what?" she asked before looking around. What she thought was a dream turned out to be reality. "Did we make it?" she asked rubbing her head.

"I believe so, my lady," Didymus said nodding in the direction of their fallen captive.

Sarah slowly approached Delilah's resting body. "Is she dead?" Sarah asked not daring to touch her body incase of waking her.

"No, watch her back rise," Didymus pointed out. Sarah noticed that she breathed in synchrony with Hoggle.

Sarah gently shook Hoggle hoping to wake him without rousing Delilah. Didymus busied himself with waking Ludo. The yeti was easy to wake unlike Hoggle. The dwarf stired causing Delilah's eyes to jerk open. Sarah screamed and fell backwards. The shrill sound woke Hoggle who stood ready to take on the one who threatened his friend. Unfortunately his legs were not on the same page as his brain and he stumbled, falling on his bottom. Delilah stood, the vines about her body reaching out. Sarah glowered at the woman.

"You said I passed the test, so out of my way!" Sarah exclaimed. "Or so help me I'll fight you to the death."

Delilah frowned. "I have no intentions of fighting you, Sarah Williams." Sarah's eyebrow lifted, but she remained in her stance. "I saw such dedication in your hearts, such sincerity." Her gaze fell on Hoggle. "Especially from you, dear dwarf. Never have I seen such love." She took hold of Hoggle's hand. "Even if you wish harm upon the king, I cannot execute you since your intentions are the purest I've ever witnessed."

"Then we can pass?" Sarah asked.

Delilah nodded. The four stood and began their passage towards the castle.

"May your mission be a success," Delilah called after him.

Sarah nodded towards her then followed the bridge. Didymus led the team with Hoggle behind him, then Sarah, and Ludo at the end. Within a matter of minutes the air began to clear. Their lungs were glad to intake clean oxygen. The pathway cleared of the fog. Smiles erupted on their faces when they reached the other side of the river. Their eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the rays of the soon to set sun. The four took big breaths, enjoying the taste of fresh air.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to breathe!" Sarah cried.

"Me too," Hoggle said inhaling another lung full.

Sarah's eyes surveyed the land. Even something as bland as the Goblin Kingdom looked beautiful compared to the mists of Mourning River.

"Come, we need to continue forward," Sarah said.

"Maybe we shouldn't," Hoggle stated. The other three turned to look at hi m. The dwarf gazed down at his shoes. "I don't want to put you in any more danger."

Sarah took hold of Hoggle's hands. "Hoggle," Sarah said slowly. "Listen to me. We are your friends. I'd even say Andrea is our friend. We're not going to desert you. If what she said is true about Jareth, then we have to continue, at least for her family's sake."

Hoggle gave the girl his largest smile. "Yes, then let's press forward."

"Yes, please do," another voice called from the side.

The four started then watched with wide eyes as troops of the goblin army surrounded them. Several of the faces Didymus recognized from his time in the service.

Ridder stepped forward making Sarah retreat. She bumped into Ludo who put his hands out to steady her.

"Hello, Sarah," Ridder said in a condescending tone. "The king requests a word with you."

* * *

Thank you for reading.

I'm just curious on the readers' opinions. Should I include some Sarah/Jareth romance in future chapters? Please respond in a review or via the poll on my profile page. Thanks again. Have a lovely day!


	4. Fugitives

Thank you Synergized and Stacy Vorosco for your reviews of the previous chapter.

* * *

The four friends stared into the face of the army captain with his many subordinates behind him, waiting for their instructions to strike. It was not the first time they had come in contact with the goblin kingdom's defense, but this time it was not Jareth who was calling the shots. There was something about Ridder that made both Sarah and Hoggle shiver. They stared into the eyes of the army's leader; eyes which alone made them abandon any hope.

Ridder chuckled as he made his way to the brunette. He stopped just short of the female. Ridder was one of the taller goblins, almost as tall as the king himself. Ridder's irises were only two shades lighter than his pupils, reminding the human of two endless abysses seeking to capture her soul.

"I must say I'm glad to finally get the chance to meet you, Sarah Williams," Ridder said, his voice making her shudder. "I was away on your last visit. Jareth had us surveying the perimeters of his kingdom due to rumors of Moraine's possible conquest." Ridder tossed his head to the left and laughed, "Though my unit could destroy hers in no time." He returned his cold eyes to the ones belonging to Sarah. "But yes, you were the talk of the kingdom when we returned. The tales of a teenager mortal who was clever enough to beat our king at his very game. You can't imagine what kind of response that got from the citizens."

"I-I didn't mean to cause any trouble, I only wanted my brother back," Sarah meekly replied.

Ridder chuckled. "I'm not doubting your claims." Ridder began to circle the human. The other three kept sharp eyes on the captain. He stopped in front of Hoggle, making the dwarf quiver. Ridder stepped close enough to Sarah to smell the lilac scent of her conditioner. "It can even be said that you are an inspiration to the people who are not too fond of Jareth."

"What do you want?" Sarah asked, immediately berating herself for the slight shake in her voice. The politics of the Goblin Kingdom were none of her concern, she only desired to help her friend. She was hit with a sudden desire to be in the presence of the goblin king if it could only allow her the relief of being away from Ridder.

"I told you, doll, King Jareth wants to speak with you right away," Ridder replied.

"If he wants to see me then I'll go to him," Sarah replied. "We were on our way to meet him." Sarah swallowed the saliva that had collected in the back of her throat. She took a deep breath then regained her composure before continuing to speak. She narrowed her eyes and straightened her posture, hoping the stance would make the goblin back away. Her tone sharpened. "I don't see why he sent you to retrieve us."

Ridder smirked. "I'd watch my tone were I you."

"I've taken down the goblin army before and I can do it again," Sarah retorted.

Sarah had hoped that the threat would be enough to get the captain to get off her back. However her confidence faltered when she noticed the smirk still held strong on the goblin's face.

"Only you forget one thing, Sarah," he said while narrowing his eyes.

"What?" she asked, not entirely wanting to know the answer.

"Last time Jareth gave the direct orders," Ridder's smile widened. "I could care less about the shape you're in when presented to him."

With those words Ridder unsheathed the broadsword on his belt. He grunted which clued the other goblins to follow his lead. Sarah let out a shriek. Ludo and Hoggle pushed her behind them while Didymus unsheathed his own sword. With a flip he landed in front of the three. He gave a laugh then leapt up and his blade collided with the one belonging to the second in command.

Ludo let out a groan which caused the nearby stones to roll forward. The soldiers ceased fighting to watch the inanimate objects tumbling their way. Hoggle used the distraction to lead his group to safety in the hills. The moment took control of Hoggle, leaving him clueless to the fact that he left Ludo and Didymus behind to face Ridder and his men alone. Ludo released another groan which caused a landslide down the nearest hill. The boulders smacked one of the soldiers in the head. His body fell on a second, taking both to the ground. Another boulder landed on top of the two fallen goblins, smashing their bones upon impact. The line of large stones barricaded the rest of the army from Didymus and himself. Only Ridder and the leuitenant were spared the separation from their targets.

Ridder's concentration drifted from his oponent upon hearing the frustrated yells on the other end of the rock wall. He quickly noticed that the human and dwarf had separated from the pack. He growled then lunged forward, his sword grazing the side of Didymus'. Didymus jumped up then backflipped to give himself some room against the charging officer. Didymus swung just in time to keep the offending blade from slicing his throat.

The two exchanged blows for a few moments while the rest of the group attempted to climb the wall. The goblins with claws had better luck than the ones who did not possess that trait. The sound of swords clanging intrigued the men, the ones who were fated to stay behind wished that there was at least a hole in between the stones to allow them to witness the spectacle on the other side of the wall.

Neither Didymus nor Ridder showed any sign of slowing down. The two were evenly matched which amused the hairy giant watching from nearby.

"You, sir, are an expert fighter," Didymus exclaimed.

"So are you," Ridder replied. "Why don't you fight in the army?"

"I did, but I was reassigned to guard the bog."

Ridder nodded. "So you're the legendary Didymus? The one who led the assault against the troll army all those years ago?"

"That would be me," Didymus said, gleaming with the memories of his glory days as a general in the goblin army.

"Then I feel honored to fight you," Ridder stated. "But I have an order to fulfill, and that woman and her dwarf friend are to be taken into custody immediately."

"But why?" Didymus asked as he parried the oncoming swing. He swung his sword which caused both men to retreat. "She has done nothing wrong."

"We can't trust anyone until those rumors of Moraine's uprising have been put to rest," Ridder replied. "Jareth knows that, he only wants to know what she's doing in our kingdom." Ridder's sword nicked the side of Didymus' calf. He bit back the pain and leapt out of the way before the falling blow struck his head.

"She only came for a visit," Didymus supplied. His sword dove under Ridder's approaching one. "She's not in leagues with Mizumi. Never even met her." His speed had decreased dramatically thanks to the bleeding wound. Nonetheless the fox refused to surrender to the pain, even if it meant fighting until he had bloodlet his entire body's worth.

"You cannot trust your friend's words," Ridder responded. He stepped back to give the other fighter a chance to catch his breath. "You are wounded, surrender to my army and we'll go easy on you and maybe spare your friend's life."

Ridder pointed to where the other goblins had successfully tied Ludo's arms behind his back. They were now in the process of binding his arms against his torso. One of the goblins smacked Ludo on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. The yeti let out a cry of pain which made Didymus cringe.

"Do I have your attention?" Ridder asked.

Didymus lowered his eyes to the ground and dropped his weapon. Ridder's dark eyes took in the sight of the prized sword clanging against the gravel pathway.

"Take them to the dungeon," Ridder ordered to the lieutenant. His eyes switched to the area where Sarah and Hoggle vanished. "Find them. Use whatever force necessary, but they are not to escape."

* * *

Hoggle dragged Sarah along the jagged pathway. They heard the shouts of Ridder's men quickly pursuing them. Hoggle frantically surveyed the area. He pointed to the forest before pulling Sarah towards the shielded location. The two disappeared beyond the numerous trees that loomed over them, casting shadows upon the stoned trail. Hoggle and Sarah ducked behind a short, yet wide tree. They watched as three goblin soldiers dashed by their hideout. Hoggle's hand gripped Sarah's shoulder.

Once their pursuers were out of their vision range Sarah stood up and turned to face Hoggle. "What's going on here? They weren't this violent before."

"That's Captain Ridder, he's the most brutal of all Jareth's army," Hoggle replied. "Rumor has it that even Jareth doesn't know of all the horrors that man has done." Hoggle turned his eyes from Sarah. "I heard that he despises humans."

Sarah clutched her arms. The memory of the man's eyes caused a chill to run through her nerves. She glanced back towards the entrance of the forest in hopes that her other two friends would reunite soon.

"Where are Ludo and Didymus?" Sarah asked.

Hoggle's eyes widened, having noticed their absence for the first time.

"I thought they were right behind us." Hoggle said, not wanting to think of his friends lying dead in a puddle of their own blood. Andrea's desire for having her family's amulet restored to her was just not worth the life of his friends, especially Sarah. "What are we going to do?"

Sarah gripped at her hair. "I say we give in." She had enough adventure for a lifetime. Hoggle nodded. Sarah slapped her hand against her thigh then clenched her fist. "If they want to take us to Jareth then I say why not let them? It will save us some time."

Hoggle's lips parted and eyes widened as he realized Sarah's sound judgment. He quickly shut his mouth and let the hope die from his eyes.

"Sarah, I don't want us to do this anymore," said Hoggle. "I don't want you or anyone else to get hurt because of this. It's just not worth it." Sarah tried to interrupt, but her friend would not allow her. "If Andrea doesn't want me for me, then it's just not meant to be." Hoggle crossed his arms. Sure he longed after Andrea's affection for so long, but he was not sacrificing Sarah in exchange for the pixie's heart.

"No," Sarah retorted. "We came this far." She placed her palm against her chest. "I agreed to help you out with this, I agreed to help Andrea. I'm not gonna let us give up like that." She snapped her fingers to amplify her point. Hoggle smiled and nodded in agreement.

The two darted their attention in the direction of shouting. They dashed behind the safety of the tree once more while the soldiers slowly passed by. They were about to come out of hiding when they overheard the goblins' conversation.

"The captain won't be happy," one stated.

"We can't leave 'til we find them," a second added.

"He said to catch that human and bring her before Jareth," the first soldier reminded the other two. "We can do whatever we want to the dwarf, but the girl is to be brought in alive at least."

Sarah put her hand over her mouth to hide her breath. Hoggle felt his stomach twist. He heard that those in the goblin army despised him due to his betrayal of Jareth the past year. Sarah worried that the staccato of her heart would catch the goblins' sharp ears.

"Those weren't the king's orders," the third one said stopping dead in his tracks.

The first soldier, who Sarah assumed to be their superior based on the insignia on his uniform, glared at the defiant man. He stepped closer, his stern eyes meeting his subordinate's.

"Those were Ridder's orders and unless you want your throat slashed I suggest you comply," he said in a harsh voice.

The two stood their ground, competing in a staring contest. Sarah feared to breathe for certain the sound would give away their position. Hoggle chanted in his mind his desire for them to choose any other location for this argument than directly in front of them.

"Jareth doesn't want his subjects murdered," the soldier stated. "And he would never allow an innocent human girl to be harmed. It's treason."

The leader smiled. "Then make it look like an accident if you wish." He jerked the bottom of his shirt before gripping the other's collar. "Listen, Vane, we both know Ridder is more deadly than the king."

The subordinate dropped his gaze to his feet. The sergeant smiled then erected his posture upon seeing reinforcements heading his way. The rebellious soldier looked back up at the other goblin with sorrow in his eyes. He heard a sound to his right and his gaze darted over to where the two were hiding. He flashed a smile in that direction for a mere second before returning his attention to the sergeant. He let out a sigh of relief at the fact that his superior had been distracted from noticing where his attention was previously fixed.

Hoggle shut his eyes tightly, praying that no one heard his feet slip against the fallen branch which caused him to step on one of the crusted leaves.

"Sgt. Flax, Ridder sends word that the other two rogues have been captured and being sent to the castle as we speak," one of the new soldiers spoke.

"Men," Flax said gathering everyone's attention. "Ridder has given orders that Sarah Williams and the dwarf—Hoghead are to be apprehended and brought into custody." Hoggle bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from groaning at yet another mistaken name. Flax made eye contact with the soldier who dared to question him just seconds before then added, "Don't harm them if possible. If they resist…" he smirked then continued, "You know what to do."

The others nodded, understanding their mission.

Sarah fell to her knees, her hands covering her ears. She took in every direction that she and Hoggle could take, each one would result in them being caught by the goblins. The men split up into groups of three and headed off in different directions.

Vane leaned against the tree that sheltered the fugitives. The two men who were stationed with him met his eyes with pity apparent in theirs.

"What do we do now, Vane?" the smallest asked.

Vane surveyed the area to make sure no one was watching. He turned his face to the tree making Sarah and Hoggle's hearts skip. He knocked on the bark of the tree.

"It's alright, you two, I won't let them hurt you," Vane said, the pain obvious in his voice. "Just give us your word that you won't attack us or Jareth and we'll take you straight to him."

Sarah slowly rose to her feet. She glanced down at Hoggle who shrugged. They shared the same thought: could they trust these men.

"We don't have much time," Vane added in a hurried tone. "The others will arrive before long. For some reason Ridder wants you dead. If you don't want to die at their hands, you better come out now."

Sarah took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree trunk. Hoggle followed her lead. The three soldiers took in their appearance. None of them had seen the famous Sarah. It was true that she was a beauty, one who would tempt and interest their king. If she was able to beat the Labyrinth then she had to have intelligence and the ability to reason. If she was willing to sacrifice her dreams and her safety to rescue her brother then she must have had a good heart. The fact that she survived Delilah amplified the rumors of her pure heart.

"You won't dare to double cross us?" Hoggle asked.

Vane shook his head. "My king gave an order for you two to be brought in unharmed and I will respect his wishes."

Sarah felt her stomach turn at the thought of having to go against her promise to Vane. She hoped that while snatching the amulet from Jareth's neck she would not have to harm Jareth, but if need be, she had no qualms in causing him pain. After all, according to Andrea, Jareth had done nothing but cause agony for her family. Her thoughts soon switched to the welfare of Ludo and Didymus.

"What of our other two friends?" Sarah asked.

Vane broke his gaze. "Ridder had them taken away." He stared at the human with pity in his eyes. "They are alive. One was wounded, but Jareth will see that he's tended to, believe me, he will be okay."

Sarah wished she could believe him, but her previous experience with the goblin king gave her little reason to.

Sarah and Hoggle followed Vane and the other two to the entrance of the forest. Sarah could not help but feel the bitter cold sweep over her body. The soldiers quickly stopped, causing the two fugitives to mimic.

Sarah and Hoggle gasped upon seeing the smirking face of Ridder.

"Hello, Sarah, it's time to go," he said. Before Sarah could reply Ridder grasped her arm.

Vane stepped in between the human and his superior. "Sir, we were instructed not to harm her." Vane placed his palm atop Sarah's shoulder. His baby blue eyes refused to remove themselves from their stare at the captain.

Ridder narrowed his eyes then backhanded Vane in the face. Sarah screamed as the goblin stumbled, holding his injured cheek. He released his hold on Sarah which gave Ridder the opportunity he needed to step in Vane's previous spot. Ridder returned his attention to the human. "I apologize for Vane, he can be quite forward." His smile faded and his voice became more serious, despite his attempt to not sound so threatening. "Let's go."

Sarah hesitated. Ridder's smile faded. Sarah glanced up in time to see Ridder's hand aimed for her face. Ridder's massive palm smacked against Sarah's cheek, the force sending her to the ground. Her arm fell against several sharp rocks. The pain shooting through her appendage were masked by the more serious throbbing in the center of her face. Sarah's fingers touched the sore spot on the side of her nose. Hoggle hovered over his fallen friend. Sarah glanced up at the sky as her vision became blurry. She whispered both Hoggle and Jareth's names before blacking out.

"Get her to the castle," Ridder barked to his men.

Hoggle glared at the captain. As a second soldier shackled his hands, the dwarf's thoughts fell on the being who dared to hurt his friend. In his mind he vowed to have his revenge on Ridder, even if it cost him his life.

* * *

Hello, everyone. Sorry for the wait on this chapter, but there you have it. Hope you enjoyed. There will be some Sarah/Jareth intereactions in the next chapter. I'm still not sure if there will be romance, but there will be some Sarah/Jareth moments. Thanks again for reading. Have a great day!


	5. Sarah Wakes

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

Stacy Vorosco: I cannot thank you enough for reviewing every chapter of this story. I really appreciate it. You are one awesome person.

El Ave Fenix.: Thank you for your review. There will be some Sarah/Jareth interactions in this chapter. I'm still not sure if it will evolve into romance though.

This chapter is rather short, but the next will be much longer.

* * *

Sarah woke to a damp, warm cloth being placed upon her throbbing cheek. She moaned earning a shush of sympathy from the goblin nurse staring down at her. Sarah gasped and jerked back her injured arm protesting the sudden movement.

"Miss Williams, you must lie still," the nurse instructed.

Sarah examined the goblin caring for her. She was an older woman, the many wrinkles revealing the centuries she worked under the royal family. Despite the wear on her sagging, gray skin, her satsuma eyes retained a glow that reflected her caring nature. A pink dress with a white apron clung to her plump figure.

"What happened?" Sarah managed to say while hoisting herself into a sitting position.

The nurse hurried to her side and placed an extra pillow underneath her back. Sarah muttered her gratitude to the goblin which the latter replied with a smile.

"I'll tell King Jareth you're awake," the nurse said with a nod to Sarah before hurrying towards the door.

Sarah attempted to call after the goblin, but she disappeared before the words could form. Sarah's hand fell in line with the other on her lap atop the yellow, satin sheets. She placed her fingers against the swelling wound. Sarah emitted a cry of pain when the tips applied too much pressure to the forming bruise. Sarah glanced down at her arm. She could not remember where she received those wounds.

Sarah leaned forward sending a jolt of pain through her body. She quickly fell back down against the pillows. She closed her eyes trying to remember what happened. The last thing she could remember was facing against the creature of Mourning River. Delilah—that was her name. Sarah shook her head, they passed the apparition's test leaving them all unharmed. Then there were those soldiers. Vane, he was the kind one who was willing to bring them safely to Jareth's castle. He surely was not the one who injured her. No, there was another, a taller goblin, one with creepy eyes and a smirk that displayed his air of superiority over all others. There was an aura of evil about him: he must have been the one to hurt her. Sarah could not remember his name. Sarah's eyes widened as she realized that her friends were not in the room with her.

"Sarah," a voice called, pulling her out of her trance.

Sarah blinked then turned her attention to the origin of the voice. There standing in the doorway with the same majestic she remembered the first time they met was the goblin king. He was dressed in brown riding pants and a sea green poet shirt that was loosely tied in the center, revealing most of his buff chest. His platinum blonde hair swayed about his flawless skin. Those familiar mismatched eyes that occasionally haunted her dreams stared in her direction. Sarah suddenly felt like a shuddering child facing the monster that lurked once the lights went out.

There was something different about the goblin king. The last time she laid eyes upon him he had a hint of disappointment and almost sorrow for her refusing his offer to be his. Before that she wondered if he ever wore any emotion other than that cocky smile. If only she knew how long that smirk had been absent since her departure from the Goblin Kingdom. Now it seemed as though he was concerned with her well-being.

Without waiting for permission to enter Jareth stepped into the room. Sarah felt like lashing out at him for nearing her when she was in such a vulnerable state, but this was his castle. She snuggled beneath the sheets, her only protection from the goblin. Were he willing to cause her harm this time, there were no magic words for her to mutter.

Jareth sat down in the center of the bed. He folded his hands in his lap then gave her a look of pity. Sarah's stomach stung. The monarch's sympathy was worse than his condescending taunts.

Sarah's eyes fell upon Jareth's bare chest. Dangling from his neck was the very amulet they were to retrieve for Andrea. Sarah figured she could just reach out and snatch the trinket, but in her current state there was no way for her to escape. Besides, she wanted to know her friends' location before fleeing the castle.

"Sarah," Jareth said forcing himself to make eye contact.

Sarah wanted to greet him in return, but her voice stalled in her throat.

The goblin king gave her a look of compassion. "I blame myself for this, Sarah," Jareth said earning a look of surprise from Sarah. "Don't give me that look. You came of your own free-will, there are no roles for me to follow this time."

Sarah pulled the hem of the sheet closer to her chin.

Jareth returned his gaze to his folded hands. "I should've intervened before you crossed Mourning River. Before you met with the accident in the forest."

"The forest," Sarah said to no one. She recounted the events with Hoggle, Vane, and eventually Ridder. She remembered the latter smacking her which caused her to fall to the ground, her shoulder receiving the extent of the damage. Her temple collided with her forearm which caused her to blackout. Sarah's eyes widened and she jumped catching the attention of both Jareth and the nurse. "Yes, I remember now." Her eyes narrowed. "That horrible creature."

Jareth gently reached his hand towards Sarah's face. The girl jerked away from his touch sending him a loathsome glare. Jareth apologized with his eyes and returned his hand to his side.

"It was only natural for you to be fuzzy after your dealings with Delilah," Jareth said standing. "Luckily Ridder and his men reached you before you fared worse."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.

Jareth turned to face the teenager. "You don't remember?" Jareth asked. He sighed before collecting his emotions. "I understand, you hit your head pretty hard. You passed Delilah's tests and crossed the river. I understand the climate of that river is enough to drain anyone's energy. Ridder witnessed the four of you staggering through the forest. He and his men followed you, but you insisted he was monsters pursuing you for dinner."

Sarah's eyes widened and she vocalized her protests to the narration. Jareth's ears did not pick up on the sounds and continued.

"Ridder told me that you tripped over a large tree root and fell to the ground. He said you were lucky that your arm was not injured worse by the way you fell," Jareth said.

Sarah shook her head, immediately regretting her actions. With a hand on her spinning head she exclaimed, "That's not what happened! He attacked me!"

Jareth was taken back. He cleared his voice then stated, "My dear, you are mistaken." Sarah's mouth dropped at the goblin king's words. Jareth continued, "Like I said, you were disoriented. I should've gotten there sooner and you would've never crossed the river."

"Jareth, I was not disoriented!" Sarah interrupted. "They attacked us. Somehow me and Hoggle were separated from Ludo and Didymus, I only hope they're okay." Jareth watched Sarah clench the edge of the sheets. "Then there was, what was his name…Vane!" Her eyes widened as she remembered. She began to shake. "They were going to kill us. I heard them talking about it. Vane intercepted them. He offered to bring us safely to the castle." A puddle of tears formed along her bottom lids. "That's when that awful captain approached us. He hit Vane then he hit me." Sarah pointed to the bruise along her cheek, just beneath her eye. "He did this to me."

Jareth crossed his arms. "I don't know, Sarah," he said softly. A part of him believed her tale. The details were too vivid for him to dismiss as the ramblings of a delirious girl wandering through a forest. The names were consistent with those in the army.

"You don't believe me?" Sarah cried.

Jareth sighed. "I did not say that, Sarah," he replied. "I think I should talk with Ridder."

Sarah's hopes of being believed were erased when Jareth made his decision.

"How can you trust him? He lied to you!" Sarah shouted.

Jareth gave her an apathetic glance. "Sarah, Captain Ridder is one of my most loyal men. He has served in the army for nearly sixty years now. He willingly puts his life on the line for this nation at all times." Sarah sunk deeper into the cushioned bed. "Besides, I still have not heard your reason for returning to the Goblin Kingdom. Perhaps if you offered up that information…"

Sarah sighed. "My purpose is my business," she responded.

"And your word is the price of your secret."

"That's not fair!" Sarah yelled. She resumed her original position upon realizing she sounded the way she did when she first ran the labyrinth as well as the cries from her throbbing arm.

"When you are willing to talk, I'll return," Jareth stated. He offered Sarah a smile. "Please know that I'm glad to see you again." He headed for the door. "Know that you may stay here until you are fully healed." He paused then added. "By the way, your friends are safe. They are receiving treatment here in this castle."

Sarah groaned as she leaned her head back against the pillow. It gave her comfort to know her friends were alive, though she doubted they were in comfortable conditions as herself. She could not blame Jareth for not believing her. Still he was the villain who stole the amulet from an innocent pixie. Jareth's recent comments amplified her willingness to retrieve the amulet.

_I can play this game too, Jareth. At least until I can rescue my friends and seize that necklace._

Those thoughts gave her enough comfort to lull her to sleep.


	6. Conspiracies

Thank you Stacy Vorosco for the review of the past chapter.

* * *

Jareth walked through the south corridor with his finger and thumb beneath his chin. The other arm crossed just below the elbow of the one touching his face. He stared down at the floor thinking over his conversation with Sarah. The nurse told him that it would be possible for her to be delirious upon her revival. Still, her words would not sit with him.

Jareth turned the corner, his cape fluttering as the cloth picked up air. A few specks of glitter spilled from his frame. A row of white sconces lit the way.

Jareth stopped upon reaching his office chambers. He stepped inside and looked at the numerous amount of paperwork that covered his desk. Perhaps it was time he followed Didymus' suggestion and invest in a secretary. Jareth sat down in the comfortable seat made of velvet and three pounds of fine cotton. He rested his head in his hands and let out a sigh. Sarah's confession interrupted his every thought. He sat up to see papers littering his workspace and chuckled at the thought that perhaps Sarah was merely a distraction from tax forms.

There was a knock at the door followed by Lex's entrance. He knelt before Jareth until given permission to rise.

"My lord," Lex said, formally as always.

"What news do you bring?" Jareth asked.

Lex revealed a folder which made Jareth roll his eyes and grumble at the thought of more paperwork.

"Sir, these are the official reports from Captain Ridder himself detailing the capture of the human girl and her conspirers," Lex responded.

Jareth erected his posture and extended an arm. "Please, bring it to me at once," he said. Jareth snatched the folder placing it atop the various tax forms. He skimmed the details of Sarah running from the army leaving her friends as a diversion. _What a crafty girl_. He then read at the bottom the chance of these four visiting with ulterior motives.

"Does something trouble you, my king?" Lex asked watching Jareth's features harden.

Jareth shook his head. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he replied. Jareth grabbed a handful of his shiny hairs. "Though I would like to hear more on this," he said tapping the papers, certain that Lex had not read them. He smiled at the errand boy. "Could you please ask for Ridder to see me?"

Lex nodded, heading for the door.

Jareth stood and straightened his attire. "On second thought I will make a trip to see him myself."

Lex stood speechless. Usually when Jareth ventured to seek those he wished to talk to himself it was usually of the most important nature. The fact that it was Ridder Jareth sought gave the goblin reason to worry that the news of a possible war would come to pass.

* * *

Sarah woke with a start. She wiped her hands frantically over her arms and face all while hyperventilating. Upon seeing nothing on her she inhaled deeply and glanced over at the lamp that dimly illuminated the room. She grasped at the blankets while panting as she slowly remembered where she was. The draft helped cool her fevered brow.

_She had dreamt that she was running through the forest and tripped on an upturned root. She fell into a black hole that grew darker by the second. When she landed she found herself in the center of an oubliette. Sarah held her throbbing head while glancing around in the darkness. She called out Hoggle's name with no avail. Sarah stood despite that her legs felt like noodles. She heard a laugh and looked forward to find Ridder standing there with crossed arms and a smirk upon his face._

"_Nice to see you again, Sarah," Ridder said with a cackle._

"_Where have you taken me?" she shrieked._

"_I found a place to put you where you won't interfere in my affairs ever again," Ridder laughed. _

_His body faded into the wall. Sarah called out with an outstretched arm as the figure vanished. She faceplanted, stifling a moan. She felt something warm writhing within her skin. Sarah looked up to see red wrigglers feasting upon her skin. Sarah fell backwards, clawing at the worms. The faster she tossed them more would appear. Soon the creatures infested her entire body, eating her alive. Sarah tried to scream, but the worms fell into her mouth, slithering down her throat. _

_She looked up to see the little entrance of light fading by the second. Her skinless arm reached for the small hope that someone would save her. The light vanished leaving her in the damp hole feeling the predators creep about her dying carcass._

Those images were now in the past. She growled at herself for being stupid enough to accept the medicine the nurse offered. Never again would she eat anything from the Underground.

Sarah threw the covers from her body to see herself draped in an old-fashioned pink nightgown. Luckily for her the cloth was not transparent. Sarah placed her feet on the cold, marble floor. She stood, stretching the kinks from her back. Her toes shivered from contact with the floor. Nearby she saw her tennis shoes and slipped them on without bothering to look for her socks. Receiving blisters were better than suffering frostbite.

Sarah poked her head out of the door and looked both ways. If the nurse saw her trying to escape no doubt she would attempt to force her back into bed or call for Jareth. Neither option sounded good at the moment. She had to find her friends.

Sarah clutched her shuddering arms close to her body. Whether the chills resulted from the cold or her own fear was uncertain. She quietly wondered about the corridor in search of any clue that would lead her to the others.

She suddenly remembered Vane telling her that they were unharmed and taken to the dungeon. Sarah knitted her brows and let out a frustrated growl that Jareth would imprison her friends merely for helping her. A surprising thought hit Sarah that Jareth had taken no legal action for them aiding her in the last adventure. It would have been a cruel thing for even him to do. Sarah mused that perhaps Jareth was not as sore of a loser or as bad a person as she perceived all this time. The memory of Andrea quickly silenced that notion.

_The nerve of him, stealing from a defenseless pixie._

Sarah heard voices approaching and ducked behind a pillar. She watched as two figures she believed to be goblins, for the lack of light concealed their faces, passed by. She could make out their garments belonging to the goblin army. She silenced her breath and listened.

"I heard that they are traitors," one with a scratchy voice stated.

"Do you think they were hired by Mizumi?" the other asked.

The first replied, "Don't know for sure. Captain Ridder seems to think so."

Sarah cringed at that awful goblin's name.

"What does the king think?" the other asked.

"I haven't seen him all morning. Twinkler did, said he looked scattered."

"Moraine isn't one to take lightly. But why would that queen recruit that human girl?"

"She was the only one to complete the Labyrinth, so she's gotta be smart."

"Maybe his highness does have reason to worry."

The two vanished from Sarah's sight. She turned to face the direction they left. She twitched at the thought that Jareth possibly thought she was a government spy for the neighboring kingdom. She was only in the Underground for one purpose, though she could not reveal that purpose to the king. She now understood why Jareth had reason to worry and keep her friends locked away.

Sarah sighed lightly, not to attaract attention from other guards that might possibly be patrolling the area. She just learned of conspiracy theories in history class and now she was a part of one.

The dimly lit walls lined the path. Her eyes ached from the lack of light. Sarah followed the corridor for what seemed like an eternity. Straight ahead she saw a bright light. Sarah quickened her pace. She stopped just short of reaching the end of the tunnel. The yellow and white lights made her flinch. She shielded her eyes with her hand before peeking into the lit room.

She slowly entered what appeared to be a dining room. The large wooden table covered with a white table cloth was being cleared away of dishes. Several intoxicated goblins pushed past her, belching and laughing all the way. Sarah wrinkled her nose before moving forward. A taller goblin with dirty blonde hair wearing a blue dress and a white apron filled a bin full of soiled dishes.

"Excuse me," Sarah said touching the goblin on the arm.

The servant shrieked and nearly dropped her bin of dishes. Sarah caught the other end and helped her place it on the table. The goblin held a hand over her racing heart.

"Tryin' ta scere me?" she asked through heavy breaths.

"I'm sorry," Sarah said lowering her head a bit.

"'F ya dn't mend, I gots to get these to de sin'," the girl said pushing away.

"Wait, hold on a second," Sarah said stepping in front of her.

The goblin's once scared face became one of agitation. She placed her free hand on her hip. Sarah marveled at the strength of this girl.

"I just have a question for you, please, it will take only a few minutes, I promise," Sarah said.

The goblin smirked. "Fine," she said handing Sarah the full bin. She picked up another and motioned with her head for the human to follow. "Can ye wa'k and ta'k at the s'me time?" she asked. Sarah nodded. "Good," the maid replied.

Sarah followed two paces behind the other girl. The goblin kicked the door open then entered, not bothering to hold the door for Sarah. The human caught it with her shoulder then pushed it open enough to squeeze through. The two placed the bins down on the counter beside the sink.

The kitchen looked every way Sarah would imagine a medieval kitchen to be. The sink was made of stone with a small fire beneath to warm the water. A stout goblin quickly washed each dish while a lanky one dried with a linen cloth. Over to the right were two stoves in which the coal had been snuffed for the night. A kettle hissed upon a third stove while two loaves of bread baked inside a fire oven. Bags of vegetables and spices hung on the side of the oven. In the center of the kitchen stood two long, wooden tables in which various scraps of vegetables lay. The cleavers and knives were haphazardly thrown across the surface. Sarah wrinkled her nose, knowing that no kitchen would ever pass inspection in her city were it ran that way.

"What ya ned ta know?" the maid asked.

Sarah remembered her reason for following and smiled down at the scowling goblin. The two dishwashers were also staring. They had only heard rumors of the humans who entered their town, but never had the privilege of seeing one before. They now felt extreme sorrow for their own wives never held the amount of beauty they saw in this girl.

"I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the dungeons," Sarah asked in a whisper. Her attempts to keep her question silence backfired when she received shrieks and loud gasps as a reply. "Please, please, just tell me…"

"Why ya need ta know of the crim'nals?" the maid asked waving a dirty spoon at the girl. Some unidentified, slimy substance slung off onto Sarah's nightgown.

She was too busy fighting off the glares and harsh words being sent her way to even notice. "Please, I just want to know—" Sarah began.

The taller goblin stepped forward, interrupting her words. "She must be in leagues with the enemies!" he shouted gathering the attention from the others.

"Really, I'm not," Sarah tried to defend herself.

"Don't 'spect her to admit it!" the cook yelled as she ran over to the source of the excitement.

"I remember Mizumi! 'Bout ten yeares ago!" another cook shouted. He pointed a slender finger at Sarah. "That one looks like a Moraine witch!"

"Call the guards!" the smaller dishwasher shouted. "We got ourselves a spy!"

Sarah's eyes widened. She felt tears forming. The truth taunted her of how one person she tried to avoid was now the one who could help her out of this situation.

"I'm not a—" was all Sarah could manage before the maid approached her and struck her in the cheek with her elbow.

"No time for that!" the male cook yelled grabbing a butcher knife.

"Yeah, we'll take 'er ourselves!" the baker growled grabbing the oven spatula.

"Th't ya culd git away, ded ya?" the maid yelled while stomping on Sarah's foot. She then pushed her to the ground while the mob closed in on her with their various weapons.

Tears spilled from Sarah's eyes. It was ironic that she faced the Mourning River and the forest only to die at the hands of Jareth's kitchen servants.

"Death to Moraine!" the cook yelled while dangling the knife above Sarah's chest.

The girl let out a scream which caused the other goblins to cover their ears. If only Jareth was there to rescue her. Sarah wondered how her family would react to never knowing of Sarah's murder. Would they just assume her a missing person whose case eventually went cold? Would her loved ones be unable to move on with their lives with the small fraction of hope? Would she even die in her own world if she died in the Underground? All those thoughts were cut short as the knife plummeted.

"What is going on in here?" a voice called, silencing both voices and movement.

The cook leveled the knife allowing Sarah the chance to sit up. She stared into the eyes of the man who had now saved her twice.

The goblin soldier gasped upon seeing the disheveled mess that was the human girl he vowed to protect. He pushed through the crowd. "Sarah, what in the Underground is going on?" he asked clamping his hands around hers.

Sarah's tears fell as she wrapped her arms around her rescuer.

Vane turned to face the servants. "This girl is a guest of King Jareth," he warned. "Never let me catch you hurting her or anyone else again."

"We thought she was a Moraine spy," the cook replied.

"Yeah, what were we ta do?" the maid asked, visibly shaking.

Vane sighed, "You confine them and call for the authorities." He hoisted Sarah into his grasp and carried her out of the kitchen. Sarah buried her face into the goblin's shoulder.

"Thanks," she muttered.

Vane smiled, "No problem." He sat her down on her feet then looked at her with one foot resting up on a nearby bench. "What were you doing in the kitchen?"

Sarah blushed and wrung her hands. "I was hoping to find directions to the dungeon," she said in a barely audible voice.

Fortunately Vane had superb hearing. He sighed, "Mentioning that place is dangerous. Every subject in this kingdom fears the dungeons worse than the River or the Bog." Sarah glanced up in shock. Vane nodded. "Those placed in there never recover the shocks. The extreme political prisoners are never heard from again." He looked her in the eyes. "That's probably why they thought you were a spy, all those suspected of siding with Moraine are sent there."

"I've never even heard of Moraine, why..." Sarah trailed off when she realized what Vane just said. Sarah gasped and grabbed Vane's jacket. "Please," she begged. The tears began to form once more. "Please, my friends are in there. You have to help me save them."

Vane cupped his hands around Sarah's, "I'm afraid I can't do that." Upon seeing the hurt in Sarah's eyes he explained, "It would be treason to break them out. They are only there for questioning and will be released once cleared of the charges. It won't be long, I promise."

"Please, can you at least take me there?" Sarah asked as a tear fell down her face. "I want to make sure they're okay."

Vane nodded, "I can do that." He turned sharply and headed towards the corridor that would lead to the stairs that descended to the dungeons. Sarah followed closely, well aware of how easy it was to get lost in the Goblin Castle.

* * *

Ridder clutched a pine box with a purple, velvet lining in his grasp. He grinned as a few snorts of laughter escaped from his throat. The rhythmic knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Ridder placed the box on the dresser before giving the visitor permission to enter.

The door swung open with a cloud of glitter announcing the king's presence. Ridder's heart skipped for a second before he offered a smile and gestured the king to enter.

"Your majesty, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Ridder asked.

Jareth entered and took a seat at the mahogany table. Ridder's servant accepted the king's cape and hung it on the ivory coat hanger in the corner. He then busied himself pouring two glasses of red wine for his master and the king.

Jareth accepted the glass with grace. He swirled the liquid in his glass as Ridder gulped the liquid down, holding the golden chalice out for a second helping.

"I hope you are pleased with the capture of these traitors," Ridder said, the confidence rising in his voice once more. The one he was waiting for would know to wait until Jareth's leave. "I have plans to interrogate the prisoners come dawn," Ridder said taking another sip of wine. He held the glass in front of his face. "Best to let them wait a bit. Screws with their minds."

Jareth placed the chalice on the table. "Captain, I do not recall giving you permission to lock those men away."

Ridder cut him off with a hearty laugh. "Come, come, I only did you a favor. With the cycling rumors of Moraine's defenses rising, we can't take too many chances." His expression became serious. "You should be thanking me, your majesty. It's not beneath that witch queen to use your own subjects against you."

"I am aware of that captain," Jareth said, venom seeping through his voice at the man's title. "And while I respect your allegiance to the army, you cannot oppress my subjects' rights. Have I made myself clear?"

Ridder internally growled at the king's tone. "Crystal," he replied. "Is that all?"

"No," Jareth said folding his hands. "I came to speak with you about Sarah."

"The human girl, she's quite a crafty one, if you ask me," Ridder stated.

Jareth laughed. "I am aware of that." Jareth leaned forward. "Tell me, Captain, the report on your capture of Sarah, is it entirely true?"

"Every detail," Ridder replied. He pointed his pinky at Jareth. "If you wish you may consult the other soldiers."

Jareth shook his head. "I have no intentions of doing so," Jareth said. He knew very well that plan would be useless as the men under Ridder were more afraid of their superior than of the king. "I only wanted to know why you think Sarah would betray me—my kingdom, that is?"

Ridder noticed the blush that crept across Jareth's face. He smirked. "Seeing as how you and her were in conflict before, it is quite a possibility."

"Not a good enough reason," Jareth countered, banging his fist on the table. Ridder glowered at the dint in his fine table. Jareth waved the stinging out of his fingers. "I know the girl would not put her friends in danger for any reason. That would include siding with Mizumi." Jareth stood nodding for the servant to grab his cape. He tossed the cloth about his neck then took his leave. As he stood in the doorway he turned to face the captain once more. "From now on you take it up with me before imprisoning any of my subjects, or guests, understand?"

Ridder stood, not hiding his disgust for the king's tone. "Watch how you speak, Jareth."

Jareth turned, appalled that one of his men would refer to him by his name.

"Tell me, your majesty," Ridder said with a mock bow. "Is it your feelings for the girl that makes you willing to believe her innocence?"

Jareth fought to hide the blushing. Soon anger replaced shock. "It is not, I just do not like people going behind my back," he replied. "Justice is determined by the council, not you, Captain. Remember that." Jareth turned towards the door. "Good night, Captain Ridder." With those words Jareth left.

Ridder fumed with clenched fists. He picked up a fire poker and hit his servant over the head. The smaller goblin fell, sniveling and weeping at the throbbing pain while Ridder continued to assault him. Ridder knocked over the goblets, watching the wine spill like blood over the table.

"Clean this up!" Ridder snapped at the servant who was holding his smarting and bleeding head. The little goblin hurried incase his master decided to inflict more pain upon his fragile body.

"My, my, what a temper," a feminine voice said from behind the satin curtains.

Ridder turned to smile at his visitor.

"How long have you been there, love?" he asked.

"I arrived during your little meeting with Jareth, though I kept my presence secret," she replied stepping through. Her satin, blue dress draped about her frame. "I do hope that everything is going according to plan."

Ridder sighed, "Unfortunately Jareth is suspicious. I hoped to put them to rest but—"

She put her finger over his lips. "But you let your temper get in the way," she said with a raised eyebrow. Her soft lips touched where her finger once rested. She pushed a loose stand of hair from her face.

He took her hands in his. "Andrea, do you think now is a good time to start?"

The pixie narrowed her eyes. "Not yet, my love, we must be patient," she answered. "With the spreading rumors of Moraine's attack, the king won't dare look towards his own men. Not to mention our oblivious allies. And once we have what we want." She simulated crushing an invisible with her hand.

"Do you think they will go through it?" Ridder asked.

Andrea laughed. "Trust me, the dwarf was easy to manipulate. His friends are now locked up, but not for long." Her lips fell into a frown. "I do worry that Sarah might be on to us, but no matter, her hatred for Jareth will increase soon enough." Her lips resumed their wicked smile.

"How do you plan that?" Ridder asked.

"You just do what I command," Andrea replied, playfully socking her lover on the arm. She whispered her plans into his ear.

Ridder stepped back with a wide smile. "You are a genius, my dearest."

"That is why you love me," Andrea stated. "And soon I will reign the Goblin Kingdom."

* * *

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think about this chapter. Whether you liked it, or think it needs improvement, please let me know. Until next time!


	7. Treason

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

Warning: This chapter contains: violence, character death, and minor swearing.

Thank you to everyone who has read and especially to those who reviewed.

Stacy Vorosco: Thanks for reviewing each chapter. You were right about Andrea from the start. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the rest.

Koolybrown: Thanks for reviewing. Andrea and Ridder are an evil pair. You'll probably hate them even more in this chapter.

Mpenguin15: Thanks for the review. Thanks for the compliments on the writing. It's good to see I surprised you with the twist. I have to keep you all guessing. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Find Your North Star: Thanks for the review. I'm still not sure about Jareth and Sarah's relationship. I think this story is going to be more subtle when it comes to their feelings for one another. Jareth sees Sarah as an intelligent being and a friend, but I don't think it will go any further than that. At least not now, but you never know what the future holds.

On with the story!

* * *

Vane led the way down the spiral staircase with Sarah in tow. The lantern showed them their path. The scent of must filled the enclosed area. The sound of their shoes clanking on the stone steps echoed. The shadows of their forms walked alongside at a slower pace, giving the room a scarier and gloomier appearance.

The air chilled the deeper they descended. Sarah clutched her arms around each other, at the moment wishing she wore something thicker. The hem of the gown swayed about her ankles.

Two red eyes peered as she lowered towards their destination. In time another set of eyes joined the original two. The light shined on the creatures to reveal rather large rats. Sarah winced. Their appearance reminded her of subway rats, were they severely mutated. She looked about the foreboding location and understood why the subjects feared being locked away in this hell.

At long last they reached the bottom of the stairs, a good two floors beneath the ground level. Sarah glanced around the various cells. The prisoners were locked behind stone walls with a door allowing entrance. On the door sat four bars which allowed what little light there was in the dungeon seep through to the prisoners who had likely given up all hope after spending one night in the accommodations. She remembered hearing Hoggle speak of how it was rumored that the dungeon cells lacked windows. She was certain to lose her sanity after being concealed in one of those rooms for an hour and found herself suddenly grateful that Jareth allowed her to stay in one of the guest rooms.

"Are they really in this horrible place?" Sarah asked behind shivers.

Vane nodded, "The captain has a sadistic pleasure with locking people in this dungeon."

"And Jareth just lets him?" Sarah asked.

Vane sighed. "If the king only knew of half the stuff Ridder does."

The two walked while searching the cells for any sign of life.

"Hasn't anyone told him?" Sarah asked.

Vane illuminated the door to his right. He glanced inside to see a ragged old man with a vacant eye look up at him. His shaggy beard and hairs covered his face and most of his body. He was a thief and murderer who had been sentenced to life in the dungeon.

"Those who have were never heard from again," Vane replied. He turned to Sarah with a grave expression. "To tell you the truth, Jareth has lost a lot of power since Ridder reached higher ranks." He turned away to check the next empty cell. "A majority of the civilians would sellout their own children to avoid Ridder's wrath."

Sarah's heart skipped. Her shivers increased merely thinking his name.

"I heard talk that he's even after the crown," Vane stated. He sent a glance in Sarah's direction. "But you didn't hear that from me."

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul," Sarah replied.

A weary prisoner stepped up to the door. He stared at the passing couple with a wide smile. He reached his scrawny arm through the bars thinking if he could just touch the light it would be enough to comfort him through the shadows he was doomed to dwell in for the rest of his life.

Sarah's heart pounded with each step. However she knew that with her rising fears that the terror her friends were experiencing was even worse. She increased her strides.

"Hoggle!" she called. The patter of her shoes against the hard stone echoed. "Ludo! Didymus!"

"You'll never find them," a weak voice said from behind one of the doors. Sarah and Vane stepped over to the cell from which the voice originated. Vane shone the light on a small, emaciated goblin. His eyes were almost glossed over with cataracts. Mucus leaked from his elongated nose.

Sarah gripped her hands around the bars. She peered down at the goblin. "Please, can you tell me if any new prisoners were brought down here today?"

His clouded eyes met with Sarah's. "No one ever gets out of here." He turned away then added, "At least not alive."

Sarah clamped a hand over her mouth and shook his head.

Vane placed a comforting hand on Sarah's shoulder. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Sarah, please understand that most of the people locked up in here are criminals," Vane explained. "Those brought in as possible spies are only housed here until interrogated by King Jareth or one of his men." He gave her a slight smile. "Your friends won't be kept here for long."

"But Ridder somehow managed to make Jareth believe that I'm in leagues with the enemy," Sarah retorted. "He's a liar, what if he can convince him that my friends are against Jareth?"

Vane shook his head. "You don't have to worry about Jareth." He gently squeezed her shoulder. "I can tell you that Jareth is looking for any reason to remove Ridder from power. He is aware of what that man is capable of."

"Then why hasn't he?" Sarah asked.

Vane sighed, "Ridder has yet to do anything to betray his loyalty to his nation." Vane's eyes met with Sarah's. "So far he has a reputation of doing anything to protect the Goblin Kingdom."

"So he continually lies to Jareth and he just looks the other way?" Sarah asked with a sob. She turned from the soldier.

Vane briefly glanced away. "I know it's not right," he said silently. His gaze fell back on the human girl. "But you're not from here, you don't know how things work." Sarah turned to him with a glare. Vane stiffened and continued, "I don't know how you feel about our king, but I will stand by him at all costs. His majesty is a good king. His power rests in the loyalty of his subjects." He stroked Sarah's face. "He can't just go after Ridder based on rumors alone. He needs cold, solid proof of his threat to the kingdom. Then he alone can't make the decision. It's up to him _and_ the council."

"And locking away his subjects and stripping them of their rights isn't enough proof?" Sarah argued.

Vane sighed, "I'm afraid not." He rested his arms by his side and let his eyes fall on the adjacent door. "Thus far the ones that Ridder arrested have supposedly proposed some kind of threat towards the kingdom."

"But Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo have done nothing to put them in this predicament," Sarah argued. She clenched her fist and let out a soft growl. "He has nothing to worry about with them." A sudden thought struck Sarah. She returned her gaze to the soldier. "Is it because they helped me defeat his precious Labyrinth last year?"

Vane held up his hands and shook his head. "No, no, Sarah, it's nothing like that," he countered. "Trust me when I say that King Jareth knows you won that game fair and square. He does not resent you for winning or them for aiding you." A slight blush brushed across his cheeks. "If anything he admires your intelligence and desires nothing more than…" Vane trailed off, shutting his mouth before accidentally spilling Jareth's secret.

Sarah sent Vane a questionable look, but decided not to press the matter. A part of her dreaded to hear the rest of the goblin's sentence. Her respect for the goblin king increased a bit with Vane's words.

What positive thoughts she had surrounding the king diminished when they reached a cell towards the end of the corridor. A familiar, hairy face waited for the two with a smile.

"Ludo!" Sarah cried. She reached up to grasp the yeti's furry paws.

"Sarah come!" Ludo shouted.

"Ludo, I'm so glad you're okay," Sarah said as tears began to form. She cupped both of her hands around his immense one. "Are you hurt?"

Ludo shook his head. "Didymus hurt," he replied sadly.

"Where is Didymus?" Sarah asked.

"Infirmary," Ludo answered.

Sarah let out a sigh of relief. At least one of her friends were not cooped up in this horrible dungeon.

"Ludo, do you know where Hoggle is?" Sarah asked.

The giant pointed to the cell across from his. Sarah and Vane rushed over to the appointed door. Sarah grabbed hold of the bars and looked inside. Her mouth widened in a smile the second she spotted the dwarf.

Hoggle sat on the ground with his legs straight out in front of him. His hands were folded in his lap where his gaze rested. Sarah could clearly see a shackle around Hoggle's right wrist that connected to the stone wall.

"Hoggle!" Sarah called out.

The dwarf looked up and turned towards the direction of the voice. He smiled upon seeing the gleaming face of his dear friend.

"Sarah!" Hoggle shouted as he stood. He made a run for the door and stopped just inches from reaching his destination. The chain pulled and knocked the dwarf to the ground. He grumbled as he rubbed his stinging backside. He looked up at the pained expression on the girl's face. "I'm fine, Sarah," he stated, standing up to prove his point.

Tears fell from Sarah's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Hoggle," she spoke.

"For what?" Hoggle asked.

Sarah wiped away the salty streams. "I should be sitting in this cage with you, not wandering around Jareth's castle," she replied. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out of here."

"That's not a good idea," Hoggle retorted. Before Sarah could question Hoggle responded. "If Jareth finds out we're gone he'll assume we're guilty and Ridder can convince him to have us all put to death."

Sarah gasped. She turned to Vane. "Please, can't you do something about this?"

"I'm afraid I can only be a witness in your favor if this goes to trial," Vane replied.

Sarah turned back to face her friend. She noticed his small body shivering. She snarled at the sight of that chain fastened to Hoggle's hand.

"Can you at least take that chain off of him?" Sarah asked. "He's behind these heavy doors, there's no way he's going to escape. You heard him say he wouldn't."

Vane sighed once again. "I'm sorry, Sarah, I wish I could help." Sarah looked at him with sad eyes. Vane defended, "Look, I have no authority here in the dungeons. I am part of the outside patrol." He glanced around the area. "If you can find the dungeon guard you can ask him." He nodded towards the bulky frame at the end of the chamber. He added in a whisper, "But don't expect any compliance from him."

"Don't worry about it, Sarah," Hoggle replied. "I'll be fine. We're being questioned tomorrow. I can wait until then."

Sarah sobbed, "I know you can, Hoggle. I just don't like seeing that thing on you."

"Hey! What's going on down here?" the guard shouted as he dashed towards the point of the sound. Sarah and Vane turned to face the burly goblin who stood no more than three feet. He had rust-colored eyes and a beaklike nose that hung over his ever-present scowl. He unsheathed his shortsword and pointed it at the intruders. "What business have you with my prisoners?"

Sarah gulped.

Vane stepped forward. "I assure you, this girl only wished to speak with her friend."

The guard had a strong loathing for the army. They were constantly stepping on his grounds, undermining his authority.

"This is my territory and no one is allowed visitors after sunset!" the guard shouted grasping the hilt of his sword with both hands.

Vane pushed Sarah behind him and placed his hand atop the grip of his own sword.

"You have no business down here, soldier," the guard said with venom seeping through his words.

Vane glared. "I am only doing a friend a favor," he nodded towards Sarah. "These men are innocent and she only wished to see that they were alive. Now that she is certain we will take our leave."

"Please, sir, why is he chained up like that?" Sarah asked pointing to Hoggle's bindings.

"He's a tricky one," the guard replied. "The captain insisted extra caution be taken with him."

"You always listen to Ridder?" Vane asked with a hint of a smirk upon his face.

The guard glowered. "Watch yourself, lowly soldier." He sheathed his sword. "I will let this slide for tonight, but the captain will hear of this."

Vane's smugness faltered. His heart skipped. After a few moments of silence he nodded towards the guard and bid him good night. Vane placed his hand behind Sarah's back and led her back towards the entrance of the dungeon.

Sarah struggled free and requested permission to say a farewell to her friends. The guard grumbled, but allowed this request. Sarah moved towards the door, her eyes catching the scowl of the cross-armed guard. She glanced back at the dwarf.

"It'll be okay, Hoggle," Sarah spoke. "I'll explain to Jareth that it's all a misunderstanding."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Hoggle assured her with a confident smile. The second Sarah turned her back the smile fell.

She said a quick farewell to Ludo then followed Vane back towards the stairs. Sarah kept her eyes on her feet the entire ascension. Vane pushed open the heavy dungeon door which led the two back into the corridor that lead to the throne room. Vane offered to escort Sarah back to her bedroom which the human consented to.

They walked in silence. The many faces and pain swam about her brain. They passed a guard to which the two males nodded their acknowledgement of the other. At long last they reached Sarah's door. Sarah slouched realizing that the bed would be her last destination for the night. She knew she needed rest if she desired to appeal to Jareth in the morning.

"Have a good sleep," Vane said to the girl.

Sarah smiled at the goblin. "Thanks for all your help," she said with a curtsey.

Vane bowed before her. "As I told you from the beginning, I only wanted to protect you." He touched the side of her face. "My lady, if I may," he said shakily. Sarah widened her eyes with curiosity. Vane's eyes, full of sorrow, met with Sarah's. "May I please have the privilege of kissing you on the cheek?"

The question took Sarah by surprise. She slightly smiled and granted permission. Vane leaned over and planted a peck on Sarah's warm cheek. Sarah's face flushed. She looked into Vane's lovely eyes. He gave her a smile and took hold of her hand.

"Thank you," he stated. "My life has always been to protect this kingdom, my king, and the innocent." He nodded to Sarah. "I have no regrets. My last action was to protect you?"

Sarah lifted her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

Vane gave her a reassuring smile and pushed a few hairs behind her ear. "Never forget me, my lovely lady."

"No, never," Sarah stated wondering why Vane was talking so strangely. "Not after all you've done for me and my friends."

Vane's smile widened. "I feel blessed to have known you, Lady Sarah." With those words he bowed and said a sweet good night to her.

Sarah watched him disappear into the shadows of the hallway. She touched her cheek where his lips previously graced. She closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. Despite the kindness of the soldier her brain still screamed of the injustices against Hoggle and Ludo. Were Didymus not injured he would be right there with them.

She wrapped herself beneath the blankets. Her heavy eyelids fluttered. With her last thoughts on her friends' safety she closed her eyes and drifted into slumber.

* * *

A knock woke Jareth from his restless sleep. He held his hand against his pounding head. Usually this time of year drained him, but when tax season combined with possible warfare his migraines increased dramatically.

Jareth opened the door to see his faithful servant Lex kneeling before him.

Jareth yawned, "You better have a good reason for waking me."

Lex nodded and rose. "I apologize for intruding at such a late hour, but I tell you this news is of the utmost importance."

Jareth wiped the sleep from his eye. "I'm listening," he said, still obviously groggy.

"There was a supposed jailbreak," Lex answered. "It was reported that Ridder and his men are investigating now."

Jareth jerked awake. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath. He quickly changed into something more appropriate and rushed down to the dungeons.

Upon reaching his destination his path was blocked by goblins. Lex, who had followed him, ordered the others to make way for the king. Ridder stood up and saluted Jareth. Jareth waved a hand and motioned for the captain to step aside. The king stepped into the open cell that housed a recent captive.

Jareth glared at Ridder the second he noticed Hoggle's condition. The dwarf had been severely battered. His nose gushed blood and numerous bruises covered his head and arms. The left ring finger appeared to be broken.

"What happened?" Jareth snapped at Ridder.

Ridder scoffed, "This is the thanks I get for protecting your kingdom while you sleep?" Jareth's glare remained. Ridder gripped at his hair. "I had planned on interrogating him in the morning, but it seems that he had other plans." Ridder's glower shot in Hoggle's direction.

"That's not what I asked you," Jareth growled. "I'll give you one last chance to answer, Captain, what happened?"

Ridder boiled. He mentally imagined himself tossing Jareth against the wall and bashing his brains in with a mallet. He inhaled sharply to cool his temper. Now was not the time for him to be acting so rash.

"I received news from the guard not thirty minutes ago that someone tried to break these men free," Ridder answered.

Jareth still held a look of suspicion.

"It's true, sir, we all heard him," one of Ridder's subordinates spoke up.

"Do you have a name?" Jareth asked.

"The guard believes it was Vane, your highness," Ridder stated. He fumed at having to call Jareth by those titles. In due time he would be the one everyone bowed before.

"Have the dungeon guard brought here at once," Jareth commanded.

Two soldiers rushed off to find the guard who patrolled the area. He returned to the group and bowed before the king.

"Are you telling me Vane tried to release the prisoners before their questioning?" Jareth asked. There was no time for skillful tact. He was tired and ready to get to the bottom of this before any more chaos spread through his own residence.

"Yes, your majesty," the guard replied. "Him and a girl."

"A girl?" Jareth asked.

The guard scratched a sore on the back of his head. "Yes, a human girl with dark hair."

Jareth groaned. _Typical Sarah._

"Are you sure that was their business down here?" Jareth asked though he would not put it past Sarah to attempt releasing her friends while she thought he slumbered.

"Yes, sir," the guard responded.

"No, that's not it!" Hoggle cried.

"Shut up!" Ridder growled before backhanding Hoggle in the face.

"Captain!" Jareth yelled. Jareth beckoned Ridder to follow him to a secluded area in the dungeon. The smaller goblin followed with a scowl. Jareth turned to face the man. "I have warned you before about your interrogation methods."

"These vermin won't answer unless given a certain motivation," Ridder retorted.

Jareth shook his head, "That went against my commands. I told you to refrain from violence and you chose to disobey me."

Ridder stood his ground. "And I told you to be weary of them."

Jareth let out a frustrated sigh.

Ridder smirked and continued, "I told you it was your feelings for that human that biases your judgment. These men have been against you from the start and they brought her alone to distract you."

"You don't know what you speak of," Jareth argued.

"I don't?" Ridder countered. He raised his voice. "If I'm not mistaken you have a witness that places Sarah alongside Vane at the scene of the crime."

"I don't even know if there was a crime," Jareth retorted. "As far as I know Sarah was worried and came here just to check up on her friends."

Ridder laughed, "You are weak." Jareth's eyes narrowed at this statement. Ridder chose to continue his verbal assault. "You're going to believe a beautiful human girl over those who have been loyal to you from the start." Ridder took a second to compose his anger. "You know as well as I do that visiting criminals past sunset is strictly forbidden."

"Sarah doesn't know that," Jareth replied.

"But Vane does," Ridder snapped. "I have been questioning his loyalty to you for some time now. He has a rebellious streak."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Jareth commented.

Ridder glared. "Do not pile me in with a traitor like Vane. I do what I think is right because you're not good at delegating." Jareth fumed, but let the insult go as he had heard that same criticism from several others. Ridder continued, "I find it odd that Sarah sought him out to lead her to the dungeons. The fact that he went against your law says he has ulterior motives."

Jareth nodded, "You do have a point." His eyes met with Ridder's. "Have Vane brought in for questioning. Do not use violence, have I made myself clear?"

Ridder nodded. "Yes, he will be arrested and ready for your interrogation come noon."

"Very well," Jareth stated. "And have Hogwart examined by the physician." He made his way back to the staircase, rubbing his throbbing temple. He contemplated telling Sarah, but decided to allow her the bliss of ignorance for now.

A lieutenant bowed before Ridder. "What are Jareth's orders?"

Ridder smirked. "Apprehend Vane and have him locked away immediately." He turned to face the grinning soldier. Ridder laughed, "An example must be made of this traitor."

* * *

The sunrays danced upon Sarah's soft features. She moaned at the morning greeting and woke to find herself in an unfamiliar location. She clutched at her breast upon realizing where she rested.

Over on the table, to the side of the bed lay a new garment over the chair. She stood to examine the dress left for her. It was navy blue, medieval styled with a gold sash about the center. She hurried to the washroom to dress. The gown fit her form perfectly. She returned to the room to see a plate of cucumber sandwiches and a glass of orange juice waiting for her. Sarah's brain warned her of the dangers of eating anything prepared in the Underground. Her grumbling stomach protested her brain's rational thoughts. Sarah gave into her human needs and picked up the triangle. For the most part the sandwich tasted the way it was supposed to. She consumed the food and drank every last drop of the juice. She wiped away the straying beads and crumbs from her face with the cloth napkin provided for her.

Sarah nearly jumped at the sound of yelling from outside the castle walls. She hurried over to the window to investigate. She saw goblins of all shapes and sizes crowding about a platform of some kind. Sarah wondered if they were about to perform a play or song. Only once had Hoggle mentioned the forms of entertainment provided in their kingdom.

A burly goblin with muscles ripping through his shirt approached the platform. He attached a thick rope to a block of wood that stood above the platform. She watched as the rope was tied into a loop at the end. The roar of screams and yells overtook the area. Sarah gasped as she saw the noose swaying against the beam.

Sarah hurried for the door. The nurse blocked her way, refusing to allow her access. Sarah growled and pushed past the stout woman. She held the skirt of her dress up as she descended the stairs. The ends of the sash swayed as she dashed about. Her sneakers hit the bottom floor and led her towards the door.

Sarah pushed open one of the heavy doors into the sunlight. She made her way over to the crowded area. Mixed emotions covered the goblins' faces. Some of them looked distraught and cried while others displayed anger. Sarah made sure to stay clear of them. Then there were the ones who smiled in anticipation of the spectacle to come.

Being taller than most of the spectators gave Sarah a clear view of the platform. A man she believed to be the executioner, based solely on the mask, stood with his arms crossed.

"Sarah," she heard a voice call from nearby.

Sarah glanced around for the voice's origin. Approaching her was a woman in a teal dress with a black cloak tied about her neck. The hood concealed her face. She pulled the hood down to reveal her face.

"Andrea," Sarah gasped.

"It's horrible," Andrea said with a sob. "People see this as entertainment."

"What's going on?" Sarah asked. She looked back and forth to Andrea and the platform. "Who's being…" Sarah gasped at the forming thought. She placed her fingers aside her face as the image of Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo being forced into the noose played behind her eyes. "Please not them," she whispered.

"They say he was a traitor," Andrea replied. Sarah looked down at the weeping pixie. "I just hope that Hoggle won't be put in that rope." She wiped at the tears. "I never should've asked him for help."

"Andrea, he promised to do it on his own free will," Sarah said if only to comfort the other woman. The truth remained that her mind housed the very same worries.

"Is it true he's been locked up?" Andrea asked with teary eyes.

Sarah nodded. "They all have. For some reason I'm not."

Andrea gripped at Sarah's hand. "I told you that Jareth is a nasty one."

"I don't think he'll let them be hanged," Sarah answered. Part of her wondered if it was Ridder that was being brought to the gallows.

Sarah heard the sound of drumming. She and the rest of the crowd turned towards the goblin with a drum attached to his body. He beat a somber tune. Sarah watched as several people from the army, including that awful captain, appeared at the bottom of the platform. They dragged another in ropes. Sarah gasped at the sight of her rescuer with his arms tied behind his back. Two soldiers dragged him with ropes attached to the ones that bound him. He was pulled up the stairs and placed on the wooden surface to look out at the crowd.

Ridder stepped forward and handed the scroll to the executioner. He glanced over the words then handed it back to the captain. The two soldiers handed Vane over to the executioner. The goblin placed the noose around Vane's neck and tightened it.

The executioner looked out at the muttering crowd. "Vane has been found guilty of the crime of treason. By the laws of the Goblin Kingdom the traitor is sentenced to hang by the neck until dead."

"No, it has to be a mistake," Sarah said with a whimper.

The goblin in front of her turned to face the human. "He was found last night lurking about the dungeon."

"Yeah," another goblin spoke up. "He confessed to trying to help the spies escape."

"No, no, he didn't!" Sarah shouted. "I know…" she trailed off upon realizing the accusing eyes staring in her direction.

She looked up at Vane whose eyes were solely on her. Sarah pleaded with her eyes to let her testify on his behalf. He shook his head. Tears welled about her lids.

"Have you any last words?" the executioner asked.

"My heart belongs to this nation," Vane replied.

A chorus of boos echoed. Others screamed declaring his innocence. The tears streamed from Sarah's eyes. The warriors surrounded the crowd with swords in hand in case anything got out of hand.

The executioner pulled the lever that released the trapdoor beneath Vane's feet. Gravity pulled his body against the will of the rope. The sound of his neck snapping blended with the cries.

Sarah fell to her knees. She could not bear to watch the goblin's corpse swaying in the wind. She wept bitterly into her hands.

Andrea placed a hand atop Sarah's shoulder.

"How could they think he's a traitor?" Sarah asked with a sob. "I was there. He didn't do anything they accused him of."

"You can't mention those things to anyone," Andrea said kindly. Her gaze fell upon the gallows. "Lest you be the one in the noose." She petted Sarah's hair. "Jareth just has to make an example of anyone who crosses him." Andrea placed a hand atop her mouth. "I just hope that doesn't happen to Hoggle."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Jareth," she growled. She lifted herself to her feet. Vane had done nothing but serve Jareth to his fullest. _That monster._ Sarah clenched her fist. She would avenge her fallen ally.

Andrea's lips curved into a smile. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

There you have it, folks, chapter seven. In case anyone was wondering. Vane asked permission to kiss Sarah because he had a crush on her and wanted to say a curteous farewell to her. I don't know if it was clear or not, but the premise is that he was aware of Ridder's intentions for a scapegoat (but not for what reason) and knew after the guard mentioned he would tell Ridder about his presense in the dungeon he was going to die. Therefore he asked to say goodbye to Sarah with a kiss.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed!


	8. The Calm

I do not own Labyrinth.

Stacy Vorosco: Thanks for reviewing. It was sad to do that to Vane, but it was necessary for the plot. I hope you enjoy this one.

Anonymous Reviewer: Thanks you for the review. I did like Vane, but it had to happen. :( I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

If ever there were a picture perfect display of anger it would no doubt be the current look upon the goblin king's face. His long fingers were clenched against the palms. The usually mismatched eyes now appeared identical through the narrow lids. His nostrils released angry breaths. The scarlet cape, matching in hues with the leather pants, seemed fitting for his mood.

Ridder and two of his most loyal lieutenants knelt before their king. The two lesser soldiers exchanged glances during the ordeal. Despite the consequences that could befall all of them, not one dared to show any form of remorse or fear. Ridder's same defiant eyes gazed back at the blonde. Those eyes alone fueled Jareth's rage.

Jareth stomped a foot, slightly startling one of the lieutenants. "You had no right to do that," Jareth seethed. "Executions of any kind are the council's call and the council alone. Do I make myself clear, _captain_?" Jareth spoke Ridder's title with disgust.

"Yes, your highness," Ridder said, his voice betraying the contrition he intended to feign.

Jareth's face showed no sign of stopping there. "You were way out of line, captain." Jareth's glare showered upon the whole group. "All of you." His glower returned to the one he most despised. "You were to bring the evidence before the council. Vane was supposed to be given a fair trial, which you robbed him of." Jareth clenched his fist, his leather glove squeaking. "I have lost one of my most faithful soldiers and you have probably caused every one of my subjects to believe there's going to be an invasion."

Ridder growled. "Your highness, I've warned you of Moraine's threats. You chose to—"

Jareth pointed a finger at Ridder and growled, "You shut up until I finish." His eyes screamed a thousand times louder than his voice. He tossed his platinum tresses behind his shoulder then took a deep breath to calm his anger. Jareth stared at the soldier and spoke with a more sound voice. "Now, I respect your ability to gather information, especially when it comes to foreign affairs, however, I expect you to follow the laws."

Ridder growled while imagining the new laws that would be instated the moment he wore Jareth's crown.

"That is all for now," Jareth stated. "Just note that you will pay for your actions." He turned his back to the three. "The council and I will decide a fitting punishment. You may be excused."

The captain stood and nodded for his underlings to leave. Jareth stared at the man waiting to hear his reply.

"If I may, your highness," Ridder said with a mock bow.

The king was well aware of Ridder's jeering. Nonetheless he allowed the goblin to speak.

"Why do you hide behind this council charade?" he asked with a smirk. Jareth's wrinkled brow cued him to continue. "You have the power to do what you will with traitors like Vane, yet you choose to give the scum a fair trial." Ridder shook his head. "If you ask me it shows poor leadership."

Jareth scowled. "Well, I did not ask you, Captain." His brows narrowed further. "What you speak of is tyranny, and after what happened with my great-uncle, I vowed to never follow his way."

Ridder stood his ground. "That's the attitude that will cause you to be invaded by Moraine, the Troll Kingdom, or others. They don't respect you."

"I am aware of that," Jareth stated. "But we will deal with them when and if such an unfortunate event ever occurs."

Jareth housed a look of concern. Despite his efforts of keeping peace between his neighboring nations, he knew it was only a matter of time before Mizumi or Evontride attacked. He was also alert to the fact that his kingdom was not ready for war.

Jareth stepped aside. "Now I suggest you leave, Ridder." He cast him a side glance. "Understand that I do not require the council's approval to have you demoted." Jareth gave him a sly smile. "If you desire I could use that power you highly endorse on yourself."

Ridder bowed before Jareth and quickly exited the throne room. He was glad that most of the goblins were still hanging around the gallows. He clenched his fists while cursing the king under his breath. The image of him personally crushing Jareth willed away all the sorrows.

The only question that puzzled him was if he wanted Jareth to be burned alive or stoned to death. Either one would give him the greatest pleasure. He could already see himself standing hand-in-hand with his beloved queen as they watched their former king meet a most agonizing end.

Jareth watched Ridder take his leave. He would be lying were he to admit not being on his guard each time he stood in the presence of that goblin. Jareth slumped down into his chair. He leaned his head back against its leather cushion. The events of the day, not to mention fighting the insomnia, caused him headaches. He considered consulting his physician, but the doctor was already busy enough without having to heal the king's minor ailments. Jareth shut his eyes, feeling instantly relieved to alleviate the stinging. This time of year only the taxes were supposed to stress him.

"My lord," a high-pitched voice said from the right. Jareth glanced over to see the face of his most trusted servant. Lex stepped forward. "Does something trouble you, my king?" he asked.

Jareth chuckled. "If only you knew." He stretched his aching back. "You know, Lex," Jareth began, propping one leg up against the arm of the chair and leaning against the other side. "Sometimes I just feel like taking a vacation, you know, just leaving this all behind."

Lex stared at him. "Then why don't you, sir?"

Jareth smiled. Lex's simple nature amused him. He was not stupid and easy to manipulate like the majority of the goblins, but his naivety caused him to have a curious nature.

"It's not that easy," Jareth explained. He placed both feet on the floor and leaned into his hands. "If only you knew how many people are interested in my kingdom. No, in order to keep my subjects safe, I can never retire."

Lex bowed his head. "I'm sorry to hear that, sir."

Jareth nodded. He knew in the depths of his heart there was no one he could trust to keep his kingdom safe while he was away. It was a sad truth, but it was the way things had to be. He had a job and was the only one fit enough, in his mind, to handle it.

"If it's any consolation, my king, I will never serve anyone, but you," Lex declared.

Jareth smiled. "That's a heavy comfort," he said to his servant. His eyes switched over to the gigantic, wooden clock hanging on the wall. Jareth stood, stretching his limbs. "It's almost time for the council to meet," he said to Lex. "Please notify anyone who comes to see me that I will be in council chambers for the next two hours."

"Yes, my king," Lex said while bowing.

* * *

She sat upon a short, stone wall with her hands folded her in her lap. The tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening like gems in the river. The blue sleeve wiped away the falling tears.

Her companion approached her with a cup of water in hand. Sarah promised herself that she would not drink from the same river as the unclean goblins. However the tingle on her dry tongue forced her to swallow her pride in addition to the cool liquid. She sipped from the pewter goblet. She cupped her hands about its slender neck.

The pixie sat down beside her and leaned her head on the human's shoulder. She placed a hand on each of the girl's arms.

"It's just not fair," Sarah said at last. She could still recall Vane's smooth lips caressing her cheek. Her fingers brushed up against the area he kissed. The thought of his kind eyes staring into hers as he bid her farewell at her door recruited another flood of tears. She gripped at the handkerchief Andrea handed her. "When I get my hands on that awful Ridder I'm going to—"

"Ridder?" Andrea questioned. "Dear, no," she said with her hand against her chest.

Sarah snapped her head in Andrea's direction. Her tearfilled eyes stared at the pixie. She sniffed then said, "You saw what he did to Vane." Sarah jumped up. She patted her hand against her chest. "I can vouch for him. He did nothing wrong." Sarah ran a hand through her hair. "If anyone deserved to be hanged, it was me. I'm the one…" she looked away, her gaze falling upon goblins who were still dancing around the platform that stole her friend's life. "I'm the one who talked him into going down there." Sarah gritted her teeth and turned back towards Andrea. "I know that that horrible Ridder is the one responsible for what happened to him."

Andrea shook her head. She took hold of Sarah's right hand. "Sarah, please you must listen to me," Andrea said with pleading eyes. "Ridder would not do this to one of his best men." She dropped her eyes to the ground and pretended to hold back a sob. She lifted her head to display the tears welling in the bottom lid. "You have to understand that Ridder, he's not exactly the nicest, but he was only following Jareth's orders."

Sarah yanked her hand from the pixie's grip. She glared down at the winged creature. "What makes you so sure of that?" Were it any other time Sarah would not understand why she was defending the goblin king, but right now there was just something about the circumstances that just kept her from pointing a finger at Jareth.

Andrea sighed. "You don't live here," she said softly. Her eyes locked with Sarah's. "Jareth cannot live without control." Sarah believed that statement. Andrea could see she had Sarah's attention and continued. "When you and Vane snuck into the dungeon he felt that his power was threatened." Andrea pulled away for dramatic effect. "He's done this many times before. Whenever he feels like his control over his kingdom is slipping he has to make an example of someone. I can't tell you how many people have been executed in a similar fashion over the years." Andrea dabbed at her eye with a yellow handkerchief. "It's just not fair," she said with a sob.

Sarah looked down at her feet. Her pity concerning Vane's unfair death was replaced with the agony the pixie portrayed.

Andrea turned towards the human. She wiped at the corners of her eyes, careful not to smudge the eye makeup. "I only fear that something terrible will happen to Hoggle if Jareth is allowed to continue abusing his power."

Sarah gasped, suddenly remembering the state of her friends. She knelt down beside Andrea and grasped her arms. "Please, tell me that Hoggle won't join Vane!"

Andrea gave her a saddened look. "I wish I could, Sarah, but I'm afraid I myself don't know." She began to wail. "Oh why did I ask Hoggle to retrieve that amulet? If only I had waited to get it on my own. Then he wouldn't be in this predicament."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sarah's posture erect. What pity remained behind was now replaced with pure disdain. Andrea fought to hide the forming smile.

The pixie continued to fake sob. "If only I hadn't lost my amulet. I could put Jareth in his place."

Sarah's attention fell away from the castle and onto Andrea. "What do you mean by that?" Sarah asked. Andrea turned to face her with a tear-stained face. "What would happen if you had your amulet?"

Andrea wiped away the falling tears. "That necklace is the core of my magic. With it I could take control of the situation and make Jareth pay for what he did to Vane. Then I could rescue Hoggle and return this kingdom to what it used to be."

Sarah clenched her fists. She turned sharply, glancing from the castle to the pixie and back. She turned on her heels and beckoned for Andrea to follow.

"What are you doing?" Andrea gasped.

"That does it, we're going to retrieve that amulet if it's the last thing we do," Sarah concluded. She narrowed her eyes as realization set in that this trinket had almost cost them their lives several times. Jareth had caused too many heartaches, and he was going to pay.

Andrea followed close behind the human. She could no longer contain the wide grin spread across her face. It was only a matter of time before she had what was rightfully hers.

* * *

There you have it. This was a short chapter, but the next one will be longer with more action. Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think.

Until next time.


	9. Desires

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

HachimansKitsune: Thank you for your review. I hope you like the new chapter.

Stacy Vorosco: Thank you for your review. I'm glad to see you think Andrea and Ridder are as unlikable as I intended them to be. I hope you like where this chapter goes.

Mpenguin15: Thanks for reviewing. Yes, I tend to use a lot of cliffhangers. I hope you like this chapter.

Several of you have asked for some Sarah/Jareth moments. I don't know if there is going to be any real romance between the two, but I decided to throw a rather passionate scene in here for the Sarah/Jareth fans. Hope you enjoy!

Oh, just for the record as I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but Sarah is eighteen in this story. Therefore the slight Sarah/Jareth romance is legal and not weird.

* * *

The blue cloth swayed about the shoes protecting her feet. Her straight hair bounced with each ascending step she took. Her hand gripped at the banister. Andrea kept up with the human's pace. The two stopped just short of reaching the threshold that led to the throne room. Sarah peered around to see several goblins lounging about, the usual blithe absent. Missing along with the merriment was the kingdom's sovereign.

Sarah relayed the information to the pixie. The smaller female suggested they could use his temporary absence to their advantage. Andrea tossed the hood of her cloak over her head before following Sarah into the open. The goblins stared at the human guest. The mixed emotions covered their faces. The gawking and glares did little to comfort Sarah's pounding heart.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder to notice Andrea doing everything in her power to keep her face hidden from the other subjects.

The females passed by the lethargic goblins, entering into a too familiar hallway. Sarah stopped suddenly as a pain paralyzed her heart. The last time she entered this corridor she was in the company of the goblin soldier whose life was stolen that very morning. The sorrow switched to contempt for the one responsible for Vane's death. She vowed on Vane's honor that she would cause Jareth the very same agony and humiliation he bestowed on Vane.

The pixie tapped the human on the shoulder. The brunette's eyes met with the sorrowful ones belonging to her comrade. She shook off the emotions that bound her to the spot then pressed on.

At long last the two reached Jareth's office where the mentioned spent most of his days when not sitting on the throne. Sarah wondered if Jareth's life was as dull as the room they entered. She expected anyplace he worked to match his flamboyant personality, yet it appeared as if she stepped inside any ordinary office building. Stacks of papers sat atop the desk. Two mahogany shelves of leather-bound books stood against the back wall. An oil lamp sat a good distance away from the papers. A black ink bottle and quill sat in the center of a blank piece of parchment.

"What are we looking for?" Sarah asked.

"I just want to see if the rumors are true," her counterpart replied as she flipped through a folder.

Sarah accepted the vague response then moved to the wall where a displayed item caught her eye. A gold frame protected an oil painting of a goblin who resembled the king. The goblin in the picture looked a bit older than Jareth with a more stern face. His nose was longer, but had the same platinum blonde hair in a similar fashion, a few inches longer. He had a blue eye the same color as the king's one eye.

The human found herself blushing as she thought of Jareth's lovely mismatched eyes. She had only met one other person in her life who had that same phenotype. As with her classmate, Jareth's different eyes gave him a majestic feel. The lighter one appeared gentle and kind, giving her the feeling that she could trust him with her deepest secrets. The darker one had a more regal presence, someone who demanded respect, someone who one should fear and love. She recalled those words Jareth said to her during her last visit to the Underground while playing his final hand during the last round.

_"Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."_

Sarah trembled while thinking of those words. There was such sincerity in those eyes. Both sides of his personality his irises portrayed pronounced the genuineness of his words. In hindsight she wondered how her life may have differed had she accepted his offer. Sarah shook her head. This was the villain she was thinking of. He was a horrible, selfish ruler who ordered the death of a newly acquired friend.

Sarah now questioned what happened to the souls of goblins when they were murdered. Was there a special afterlife to which immortal creatures were allowed access?

"No! It can't be true!" Andrea shrieked. The papers surrounding the one she snatched from Jareth's desk cascaded about her legs. Sarah rushed over to where the trembling pixie stood with her mouth agape. Tears welled in her bottom eyelids.

She shakily handed the document to the other girl. Sarah skimmed the words then her eyes widened as they approached the last sentence. She reread the paper twice more hoping that reality would erase the horrors of what was presented in the text.

She read: _I, King Jareth of Goblin Kingdom, hereby find the dwarf Hoggle guilty of treason. The evidence brought against him during the trial the morning of the 19th is extensive. The witnesses in his defense by the name of Ludo and Sir Didymus are excused and removed from record as they are not credible due to the fact they are considered, and will be examined as, possible conspirators in leagues with the defendant. As there are none who come forth as credible witnesses in the defendant's defense with the amount of testimonies against him he is guilty as charged. The sentence for treason is death which will be carried out at the next sunrise, by order of the king. _

At the bottom of the declaration there was a line complete with Jareth's signature. Sarah held a hand over her mouth. She found herself speechless and could only shake her head. She was aware of how awful Jareth truly was, but to read these words with her own eyes brought that level of villainy to new heights.

Andrea sunk into Jareth's desk chair. She dabbed at her eyes and let out a sorrowful wail. She brought her legs up to her face and wept into the cloth. Sarah clenched her fists. She crumpled the piece of paper into a ball then threw it against the bookshelf. Andrea looked up. She hurried to hide the sly smile as Sarah turned to face her.

The pixie managed to form a sad face in time. "What are we going to do?" she asked as a tear fell down her cheek. She leaned into her hands. "If only I had the courage to stand up to Jareth on my own so long ago. I should've never asked Hoggle to do this for me. It was too dangerous."

Sarah knelt down beside the chair. She placed a hand on Andrea's shoulder. "There was no way you'd know that Jareth would do something like this." She looked away and stared down at her own fist. "I knew he was awful, but not to this extent."

Andrea sniffed, "If I still had my amulet this kingdom wouldn't be in that tyrant's hands."

Sarah snapped her head towards Andrea's face. "Wait, you mentioned earlier that you could restore peace to this kingdom. Does that amulet have some kind of special ability that gives its user powers of some kind?"

Andrea nodded. "Yes, of course!" she exclaimed. "You see, the pixies have more magic than the goblins. In fact they aren't very magical at all. I heard that the only reason Jareth can do magic is because he studied with some sorcerer and with that witch from Moraine years ago."

Sarah nodded. She had heard from her friends of Jareth's past with Moraine's powerful queen. Didymus even revealed that Jareth had romantic feelings for the woman which ceased when she somehow betrayed him. (No one knew the true story behind their failed relationship, or were afraid to speak it aloud.) The fox goblin also mentioned that it was when they broke up that the century long rivalry between the two kingdoms resumed.

"Unfortunately Jareth's magic is dramatically increased with the help of my grandfather's amulet," said Andrea. "My powers would outdo him a hundredfold if I only had my item back."

"Then we have no choice, I have to get it from him," Sarah proclaimed.

"No, no, no!" cried Andrea. She placed her hand around Sarah's. "I've already cost Hoggle his life, I can't ask you to put yourself in danger for my sake too."

Sarah put her other hand atop the one that Andrea had on hers. "If we don't try then Jareth will rule this place unfairly forever," she said. "If I have to put my life on the line to protect my friends and the innocent of this land, then I will."

"Oh, Lady Sarah, you are a real hero," Andrea cried. She nuzzled her temple against Sarah's hand.

Sarah removed her hand from Andrea's grip and looked out towards the doorway. She had a foolproof plan. She just had to wait for the right moment to unleash it.

Andrea watched Sarah's determined look with a smile.

* * *

Jareth descended the stairs with a bodyguard close behind with a torch in hand. They stepped deeper into the shadow's land. The sounds of sobbing and hysterical laughter could be heard as they approached the bottom step. The king had hoped to never have to venture to this level of his castle twice within a day's time, but he required the information and the clock was ticking. He stopped by the hospital wing at first, but finding it void of Hoggle, the sovereign hurried to the only other place the dwarf could possibly be.

The two hurried to the correct cell. The guard held the torch high so as to illuminate the darkened pit of despair. Jareth peered between the bars at the pitiful creature shackled to the wall. Since his previous visit, Hoggle appeared to have several more contusions along his face as well as dried blood in the corner of his lip. His left eye was swollen within the borders of a shiner. Jareth touched his own face and winced at the imagined agony. It had been three decades since he was beaten senseless, but the memory of the pain remained.

Jareth nodded to the guard who inserted the key into the hole. Hoggle glanced up at the sound. If the jailer was generous enough to remember to feed him his meals he usually slid the cracked plate beneath the door, not caring if the slop or stale bread crust toppled from the dish in the process. His parched throat begged for the luxury of water. The continuous dripping from the leak within the ceiling of Hoggle's cell was just out of his reach.

The dwarf's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets at the sight of the king standing in the doorway. Hoggle curled into himself. He recalled what Ridder's hands did to him and feared what advanced punishment Jareth had in store for him.

Jareth gasped at the dwarf's ghastly appearance. He hurried over to where Hoggle feebly lay. "Who did this to you?" he asked having a good idea as to who. His gloved hand examined the bruises. Jareth clearly recalled giving Ridder orders to have Hoggle taken to the infirmary last night and now he regretted not staying behind to see his demands carried out.

Hoggle's voice stopped in his throat. Was this some kind of trick? Perhaps the king was waiting for Hoggle to reveal the injustice he suffered at the captain's hands just to end up beaten roughly and laughed at for thinking he deserved anything less. However one look into the monarch's eyes and Hoggle could see the opposite.

"Ridder," Hoggle moaned as he moved. Every movement sent jolts of pain throughout his body.

"Don't move," Jareth instructed. He turned to the guard. "Send for the healer at once." He looked back at Hoggle's broken body. "I'm afraid to move him to the infirmary myself."

The guard obeyed without a word. His sudden absence shrouded the king and servant in darkness. The two creatures stood staring at each other, knowing the other was there, but neither one willing to speak. Jareth listened to Hoggle's labored breathing. Both parties were grateful that Jareth arrived when he had. Another two hours and Hoggle would have been too far gone for repair.

"Hoggle," Jareth said pausing to listen for any form of response. Hearing the chains move clued him in that Hoggle was at least still conscious. It was a sign good enough for him to begin questioning. "I know you are not in the best shape right now, but it is crucial that you tell me what happened to you, starting in the forest and all the way to now. It's of the utmost importance that you spare no details."

Though Hoggle could not see his ruler he imagined how Jareth's face appeared. When the king was in one of his serious modes even the most powerful of magical creatures shuddered with intimidation. Hoggle opened his mouth to provide Jareth with what he requested.

* * *

Steamed, Jareth ascended the steps to his quarters to cool down before confronting Ridder. Despite the hotheaded captain, the lead goblin knew it was no good approaching one of Ridder's personality while infuriated. Besides he needed to sort out the million thoughts skipping through his brain. However after their last meeting led to Ridder sentencing Vane to death (which after hearing Hoggle's story was more than convinced that it was not as noble a reason as Ridder made it out to be), he was not willing to senselessly rush towards an accusation.

The goblin king tossed open his bedroom door then stepped inside looking forward to the comforts of solitude. He tossed off his cape, throwing it haphazardly on the floor. There was no need for concern as a little snap of his fingers would rid the cloth of all wrinkles. He rubbed his face with the balls of his hands. The king stepped out of his boots then staggered over to the welcoming bed. Perhaps a quick nap before approaching Ridder would be nice.

Jareth sighed at the unlikely chance of that occurring. With Hoggle now in the care of the physician it was only a matter of time before Ridder found out. Hoggle's testimony revealed to the king that Ridder had been going behind his back for some time. There was no telling how many accomplices Ridder had on his side. One of them was bound to squeal on Hoggle's tattling. Jareth promised to protect Hoggle and his friends, but even with his magic there was only so much he could do.

Jareth stopped and his heart skipped upon seeing a shadow move behind the veil hanging down from his bed. He slowly approached the bed, forming a crystal incase he had to fight after all. He pulled back the curtain to reveal Sarah fast asleep. He lifted his brow, but in time found himself smiling at how innocent she appeared.

Jareth lowered himself to a kneeling position. His fingers brushed across Sarah's smooth forehead, pushing her silky strands from her face. Staring at her now made it hard to believe she was the same girl who defeated him two years ago. Jareth folded his hands in his lap and just silently stared at her chest rise and fall. He would put his life on the line to protect this one.

Sarah stirred and shifted. Jareth jumped to his feet, but could not remove his eyes from her sleeping form. Sarah moaned then fluttered her eyes twice before gaining full consciousness. She looked over in the direction of the goblin. She gasped at first then sat up straight. She smiled at Jareth.

"Good afternoon, Sarah," Jareth said with a smirk.

Sarah glared at his playful tone. She shook her head then smiled remembering the reason she was in his chambers.

"Care to tell me why you are in my quarters?" Jareth asked after a brief moment of silence.

Sarah lowered her line of vision to her legs which were covered with the viridian, satin sheets. The linens sparkled as she moved her limbs beneath.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't know where else to go," Sarah said at last. She looked up at Jareth to find him looking at her with sincere gentility. She gave him a half smile. "After what happened to Vane this morning I was scared and tried to find you, but you weren't on the throne or in your office so…"

"So you came to my room, makes sense," Jareth said sitting on the foot of the bed.

Sarah's face reddened at Jareth's sudden closeness. If she extended her foot she would be able to touch him. In that outfit he looked so appealing. Sarah controlled her hormones and moved her legs closer to her body to give herself some room from this monster.

"I thought you would be here," Sarah said. "I didn't mean to intrude, really, but I was so scared and knew someone as strong and powerful as you could protect me." She made sure to say the words "strong" and "powerful" in a seductive tone.

Jareth smiled. Sarah applauded herself internally. All her years with the theatre had definitely turned her into an exquisite actress. She knew Jareth's weaknesses and her plan seemed to be working. Her eyes fell on the desired trinket. Sarah bit her lip and attempted to slow her pounding heart as it was not yet time to pounce for the kill.

"I hope you are not angry," Sarah said at last. She tossed the blankets from her body to reveal herself wearing a form-fitting gown made of satin, the color of pink rose petals. The bodice was low-cut, complemented with a silver necklace in which a matching pink charm rested in the center. It was simple, but helped amplify the shape of her neck.

Jareth had to take two deep breaths to keep from inappropriately touching his guest. She looked so appetizing that he began to salivate. In his mind he imagined himself with his arms around her form, his mouth ravaging hers. He wanted to run his hands through those soft tresses one more time with more passion than before. He wanted to call this girl his queen. After all the stress he had been through lately he deserved a moment with this perfect blossom.

It took all of Sarah's strength not to break character and strike the goblin across the face. She shook with disgust at the sight of him undressing her with his eyes. He was nothing more than the filthy demon she remembered from before, the man who kidnapped her brother. How could she had ever thought someone like him could change?

However she made the mistake of looking down at those lovely hands. Those nimble fingers were the same she had dreamt of since her adventures in the labyrinth. Seeing the way he handled those crystals filled her with desire as would have any teenager. Still that was over a year ago and now she was legally an adult. She was no longer driven by impulse. She had a goal she needed to accomplish and lifted her eyes to the prize to remind her of the reason she sat in his bed. The instant her eyes fell upon the amulet she regretted the action as the necklace rested mere inches above Jareth's chiseled chest. How could he have been so inappropriate to wear such attire in her presence? She was a virtuous maiden and he a monster. Sarah glanced over her own attire and felt she had little room to talk.

Her eyes met with his silencing all cares about this man's character. She wanted nothing more than forget the promise she made to Andrea. Her mind and body wanted to become one with the man less than a foot from her. However her thoughts drifted over to Hoggle and all her body's lecherous desires were slain. There was a reason she sported that dress and a purpose for being in Jareth's bedroom.

Sarah leaned forward and distributed her weight onto her hands. She crawled towards the king and sat down beside him. She could smell the sweet aroma rising from his skin. They were close enough for their lips to touch. Sarah bit down on her own bottom lip, the sharp pain silencing those urges. Her eyes fell on the amulet once more. It had to be this hour. She may not ever receive another opportunity.

Her index and middle fingers gracefully touched Jareth's arm. In no time her entire hand was underneath his chin. She directed his face towards her, a gesture not needed as Jareth had no intentions of removing his gaze. Though he knew there were a hundred other things that needed to be done at the time, this had been a dream he harbored since the moment he set eyes on the maiden Williams. What fool would toss away the chance to be held by the woman of his desires? Even if his kingdom came crashing down and his life had to be the consequence it would be worth it to belong to Sarah for one moment.

Sarah's wrapped her hands around Jareth's torso and pulled him towards her. She leaned her head against his neck. Jareth sat there in shock for half a minute before returning the embrace. He inhaled the scent of her hair. Sarah tightened her grip. She opened her eyes to find her face right next to the desired item. She told herself to work towards the clasp. Her hands began to grasp at Jareth's back and beneath his hair.

Jareth inhaled sharply. He let his lips caress the side of Sarah's neck. The girl momentarily forgot the reason she held him in her embrace. Jareth repeated the action which caused Sarah to shake all over. Her hold on him weakened. She wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in the rapturous wind that took the form of the goblin king.

All sorrows and troubles vanished while in Jareth's clutches. She leaned her head back which allowed Jaerth's kisses to move to the front of her neck. She realized the mistake the second his lips collided with the sensitive area. She chanted the error in her mind. Soon the mistake became pure bliss and she let her arms fall limp against the bed. She felt Jareth pushing her against the bed and her eyes flew open. She pushed them both into a sitting position. She had to remember the reason she was there.

Sarah gripped at Jareth's back once more. She slowly worked her way up to his neck while he continued to kiss her neck and chest. Her hair was tossed aside to reveal another patch of skin that had yet to be marked by Jareth's lips. Sarah's hands found the clasp and went to loose it when Jareth's lips collided with her own.

Sarah dropped the necklace and gave into her desires. The last sixteen months the two had wanted to taste the other. Sarah opened her mouth to allow Jareth access. His mouth had the very same taste as the sweet scent that enticed her. She leaned into his kiss while pushing back with her own tongue. Sarah gripped her hands about Jareth's shirt. The kiss was more than her fantasies consisted of. She tilted her head to the side then pushed her mouth closer against his.

A tear leaked from her right eye at the thought that the blissful action would soon end. She wanted nothing more than to cast Jareth's cruelty off as false and be rid of her cares, staying forever in Jareth's embrace, but too many lives were counting on her. Once again she was the selfish girl she had been the first time she entered the Underground. Not this time. There were too many who needed her.

Sarah ceased with the clasp and grabbed the front of the amulet. She yanked the necklace with a force that surprised even her. The chain snapped against Jareth's neck which caused him to howl in pain. He broke his hold on Sarah and rubbed where the pain was inflicted. He was about to question Sarah's motives when he noticed the crucial item missing. He panicked then looked around to find pieces of the chain lying in his bed. He glanced up to find the magical item in Sarah's grip.

"What are you doing?" he gasped as he reached for the charm. Sarah pulled back. Jareth's eyes widened. He leaned forward and frantically held out his hand. "Sarah, enough games. Please I need that back right now."

Sarah hopped up from the bed. "Why?" she asked with an intense glare. "So you can continue to oppress your subjects." She looked down at the trinket. "No, it's now time for this to be returned to its true owner."

"Sarah, I am its true owner," Jareth pleaded. "Please, enough with this folly. It's not funny." His words quickened with each statement. "Sarah, I need my amulet now."

"I'm not falling for any more of your tricks!" the girl hissed. "You stole this and caused her such agony."

"That's right," a voice said as the creature materialized in the room. Jareth watched with wide eyes as the pixie appeared with a wide grin. "Thank you, Sarah," Andrea said as she went to collect her prize.

"You," Jareth seethed. He realized that Sarah was in leagues with the pixie. "Sarah, no, you can't give it to her," he begged.

"Your reign has ended," Andrea spat. She smiled sweetly at Sarah. "Thank you, Sarah, I knew I could count on you."

"This will save Hoggle, right?" Sarah asked as she dropped the amulet into Andrea's hand.

"Hoggle?" Jareth asked. "He's with the healer."

Sarah turned towards Jareth. "What are you talking about? I thought you were going to have him executed."

Jareth jerked back. Sarah gasped when she realized Jareth's surprise to the news. "Sarah, he hasn't even had a trial yet. We were waiting for him to recover first then he would go before the council. I don't have the authority to just execute someone. The council decides. I mean, yes, I'm on the council, but it's a joint decision."

"But Vane," Sarah protested.

"That wasn't my doing, you have to believe me," Jareth said as he gripped Sarah's arms. "Ridder has been against me for some time. Hoggle informed me of that not a half hour ago."

"Ridder?" Sarah exclaimed. Her face contorted at the thought of that awful goblin. She hated him more than she hated Jareth. Of course now she was unsure if she even hated the king. She looked into the king's eyes and could see he was telling the truth. "But that document we found in your office," Sarah gasped. "It had your signature."

"Yes, Ridder, is quite convincing, is he not?" Andrea said with a cackle. The two turned to face the grinning pixie. She tightly held the amulet in her grasp. "And I have you to thank for this, Sarah." She tightened her hold on the gem.

"No, Andrea, don't!" Jareth pleaded.

"Your time has ended," Andrea proclaimed. Jareth could tell by the girl's eyes that she was not only referring to his time as king. With those words she launched the amulet towards the floor. Jareth fell and Sarah could only stare as the necklace smashed against the marble surface, shattering the second it collided. Andrea stared in awe at her handiwork before turning her attention to the gaping faces before her. "It's time for a new king."

"And that would be me," Ridder announced as he kicked open the door.

Sarah's eyes watered as she realized what she had done. She singlehandedly destroyed the Goblin Kingdom.

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Gasp! What will become of the kingdom? What will become of Jareth? Will Sarah be able to save the day? Find out in the next installment.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	10. The Amulet

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

Thank you to everyone who has read, especially to those who reviewed the previous chapter.

HachimansKitsune: Thank you for the review. Yes, Sarah will regret what she has done. Prepare for more angst and sorrow in this chapter. You might be satisfied with what becomes of one of the characters in this chapter.

LadyBowie1947: Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Bobbi: Thanks for the review and the compliment. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

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The human and king stared at the captain of the goblin army. The mentioned slipped his arm around the pixie's shoulder and pulled her closer to his body. The evil smile upon Andrea's face sent shivers down Sarah's spine. The true cruelty in her eyes rivaled the tales she had heard about the kingdom's ruler, the rumors that had just been proven false.

Ridder unsheathed his sword and kicked the weakened Jareth to his knees. The tip of the blade was placed beneath the king's chin. Ridder's dark eyes smirked into Jareth's fuming ones.

"I could kill you here and now, your majesty," Ridder said with a mocking tone at Jareth's title. He brought the sword against his side. "But it would be much more fun to watch you slowly die." He turned to face his lover. "How long do you think?"

She stepped forward, twirling a strand of hair about her slender index finger. "I say it's only about another three, maybe four hours before the poison reaches his heart."

"What are they talking about?" Sarah asked as she knelt down beside Jareth. Her arms gripped tightly around his biceps.

"My dear, Sarah," Andrea said stroking the side of the human's face. "I couldn't have done this without you." Sarah shook Andrea's hand away. The pixie frowned then brought her fingers to her own face. "When everything is settled and I appointed queen of this land you shall be crowned as my second in command."

"You can't just steal the kingdom from Jareth," Sarah shrieked, jumping up. "You forget there are many who will fight for him."

"Can you be certain?" Andrea asked with a cackle. "Once they discover that their king is dying and they see that Ridder has the power they will bow before him and serve him as king in exchange for their lives."

Sarah gasped and shook her head.

Andrea fluttered at eyelevel with Sarah. "Don't look too sad now, deary. If I am correct you wanted someone else to rule in Jareth's place. After all he is corrupt. Look what he tried to do to your dear Hoggle."

"You put him up to this," Sarah shouted, advancing on the pixie. She clenched her fists. "It's your fault he risked his life with Delilah and was beaten so brutally in the dungeon." Sarah's eyes narrowed. "You're one awful creature."

"Perhaps so," Andrea said. She brought her hand to her mouth and let out a laugh. "But it serves the dwarf right for believing he had a chance with me." Andrea laughed. "He was a foolish pawn from the beginning. Too perfect, I can barely believe it worked."

Something within Sarah snapped. She snarled and launched one of her fists at the pixie's smug face. Andrea recoiled, her hand nursing her throbbing face. Her sapphire eyes turned a deep ruby.

"Kill her!" Andrea cried, pointing a finger at the human.

"Are you sure?" Ridder asked. He steadied the blade, but kept a tight grip incase the human tried anything.

Jareth carefully pulled himself to his feet, using the wall to steady himself. He wobbled as he stepped forward. He tossed the mirror to the floor to reveal a secret door. Before Ridder could approach Jareth threw open the door to reveal a longsword. He parried the goblin's blow with his own blade. The two jumped back upon impact. Ridder smirked.

"You don't have the strength to keep up with me," Ridder laughed.

Jareth sneered at the other goblin. "Maybe not, but I won't lose my kingdom away without a fight."

The two clashed blades a second time, sparks flying from the colliding metal. Sarah gaped at the king's agility. Ridder ran to the side and ricocheted off the wall, readying an attack for Jareth's back. Jareth spun around in time to block Ridder's sword. He kicked the captain in the knee. Ridder fell down, not releasing his grip on the sword and rolled away before Jareth's blade punctured his skin. Ridder jumped to his feet.

The two goblins stared at each other with pure contempt for the other displayed in their eyes. From the side the two females watched in anticipation of who the fight's victor would be. Sarah clenched her fist. If Jareth was the same person she remembered from her last visit to the Underground he was not someone who would go down easily.

Ridder began an assault, sending Jareth into an automatic retreat. He caught the advancing blade with his own. The clanging rang throughout the room. Sarah bit her nails as Ridder's weapon came dangerously close to Jareth's ear. A few strands of platinum blonde hair plummeted gracefully to the floor. She did not want the room that smelt of butter cream to be marred with the stench of blood.

Ridder dropped to the ground in an attempt to kick Jareth's feet out from beneath him. Jareth, used to Ridder's underhanded attacks, jumped up in time. He landed atop the bureau. Ridder's sword pierced through the mahogany dresser, nearly missing Jareth's leg. The goblin king leapt above the soldier's head and flipped, landing in a crouching position by the bed. He rolled out of the way of a second attack. Ridder sliced through the cloth of his shirt, barely missing his skin.

"Where did he learn to fight like that?" Sarah mused out loud.

Andrea laughed in response. "It surprises you?"

Sarah glowered at the pixie. The very sound of her sugary voice made her want to strangle her thin neck.

"He used to be in the army long before he was king," Andrea continued. "It's how he received the fatal wound."

"What wound?" Sarah asked.

"No worries, without the sorceress' magic he will soon fall," Andrea chimed. She nodded in the direction of the two in battle. "It's already taking affect."

Sarah turned her attention back to the fight and nearly gasped at the sight of Jareth. As the pixie predicted Jareth's strength was beginning to diminish. The goblin king winced as a severe pain invaded his right shoulder. He shook the pain away in time to block a fatal blow. His parry was not as strong as the previous ones had been.

Ridder smirked and came harder at the king. Jareth fought to keep his breathing under control. The two turned swiftly as the blades refused to let up. Sarah internally begged for this battle to cease before it claimed the life of either contender, namely Jareth.

The two pushed off the other's sword to gather some space. Jareth took a deep breath. His vision blurred. He wiped a few falling beads of sweat from his forehead. The shiny bangs fell back into place. Ridder advanced on him faster than Jareth anticipated. His footing faltered and the sword rammed into his upper arm.

Sarah released a cry. A puddle of crimson stained the royal blue rug. Ridder yanked the metal weapon from Jareth's arm causing the goblin king to topple forward. Jareth caught himself on his uninjured arm before his face contacted with the floor. Jareth erected himself as his pale hand clamped over the wound. The scarlet stream seeped through his slender fingers.

The captain lifted his sword high, ready to strike a final blow. Sarah dashed forward and picked up Jareth's fallen blade. She sent the sword deep into Ridder's unarmed chest. With narrow eyes she pushed with all her strength, forcing him towards the wall. The end of the blade connected with the stone wall. Ridder's bloodstained sword fell discarded to the floor. Sarah's hands still gripped tightly around the hilt shoved further into the goblin's torso. Ridder let out a hack, splattering blood onto Sarah's cheek.

Ridder's gloved hands caressed the weapon that would soon steal his life. The sides of the blade mutilated his fingers. He leaned his head back gasping for air. His breathing increased, sending acute pains through his chest with each inhale. Sarah shrank away, watching in horror as his chest rose and fall at an alarming rate. He let out a shrill cry with his chest puffed out. With one last breath his head fell limply against his neck.

Sarah's bloody hands twitched. She stumbled backwards staring in horror at her own handiwork.

Andrea shrieked as she ran over to her lover's lifeless body. The tears poured while she caressed Ridder's cold cheeks. Lifeless brown eyes stared into hers. Her slim fingers brushed against his eyelids, closing them one final time. Her lips graced his. The scarlet liquid stained her lips, resembling a rose-colored lipstick. Her glare fell upon the mortal.

Sarah never saw the scornful gaze as she was preoccupied with tending to the king's wound. Jareth hissed as Sarah ripped the soaked shirt. What little blood that had clotted was torn away along with the sleeve. The dyed garment was tossed aside. Sarah shredded a thick strip of cloth from the hem of her gown. Jareth watched her nimble hands carefully apply the bandage to his injury. He was half tempted to tell her that her efforts were only in vain. He decided against it for the sole, selfish reason of having close contact with her. His nostrils picked up the sweet aroma of her hair.

Andrea stepped upon the fallen blade directing all attention to her. Sarah trembled at the sight of the enraged pixie.

"You killed him," she spat.

"I didn't have a choice," Sarah defended slowly rising to her feet. "I had to protect him." Her eyes quickly darted to Jareth then back to her enemy. Her cheeks slightly reddened at the sound of her own words. She could not come up with a valid reason for why she felt the overwhelming need to put her life on the line to protect one who had done nothing but cause her trouble.

"Well you've shown whose side you're on," Andrea growled. A red aura surrounded her. She picked up Ridder's discarded sword. "This kingdom will be mine and mark my words, human, when the traitors are executed you will be the first to die."

"You can't," Jareth cried. "She's not of our world."

Andrea smirked. "Perhaps you are correct." She let her eyes fall on the human. "I believe you will suffer enough with a more suitable punishment anyway." She cackled then hurried over to the doorframe. "You will suffer the same agony as myself." Her eyes fell on Jareth. "With his body trying to fight off the new wound I believe his time has been cut in half." She let her gaze pierce into Sarah's eyes. "You will watch him slowly die."

With those words Andrea slammed the door shut. With her own magic she placed a spell on the lock. Sarah dashed over to the door. She pulled on the looped door handle to find it sealed in place. She kicked the door then rushed back over to Jareth's side.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way out and with that wound properly bandaged until we can find some antibiotic it should keep the infection at bay," she said as she pushed Jareth's bangs aside.

"Sarah," Jareth said in a somber tone. He tried to stand. Sarah helped hoist him to his feet. Jareth clamped onto Sarah's shoulders for support.

"Don't look so glum, you'll be okay, her spell can't last forever," Sarah said trying to remain cheerful. "Your servants will come to check on you before long. I'm sure Didymus and Ludo will be with them."

"Sarah," Jareth attempted again.

Sarah placed a finger over his lips. "When they find out Ridder is gone…" she nodded in the direction of the bleeding corpse. "…they'll let Hoggle go. There's nothing to be worried about."

"Sarah," Jareth said once more, tightening his hold on the girl's shoulders. Sarah ceased speaking and looked into Jareth's eyes. The king merely shut his eyelids and shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not like that this time."

Sarah took hold of Jareth's wrists and squeezed tightly. "What do you mean?" she cried. "Look, I know it probably hurts and maybe your medicine is different from my world, but you will be fine. I've seen people recover from stab wounds before." She kept talking to keep her forming tears from falling. "Didymus once told me about the time he was stabbed in battle and…"

She noticed the sorrowful look upon Jareth's face which ended her words.

"Not this time," Jareth said softly. Another sharp pain pulsated through his body. He muffled a cry by biting his lip and leaning into Sarah's arms. She wrapped her arms around his body. Once the stinging subsided Jareth let out the breath he was holding and welcomed a new lungful of air. He looked into Sarah's eyes. "Sarah, I'm feeling rather weak, can you please lead me to bed."

Sarah nodded and walked him to where he requested. She helped to lay him down and pulled a satin, blue sheet over his body. Another acute pain seized his body. Jareth gripped at the sheets. Sarah tore her eyes from the sight as two tears cascaded down her face. She wiped away the salt beads merely to spare the king the agony of seeing her cry.

"Sarah," Jareth said slowly sitting up. Sarah sat down beside where he sat. His mismatched eyes displayed such agony. "Listen, you need to understand." He pulled the sheet away to reveal his bare chest. He took hold of her hand and placed it against rough skin at the bottom right of his torso. Sarah's fingers traced the scarred tissue.

"What happened?" she asked, looking at the slightly protruding skin.

Jareth took Sarah's hand in his own. "About eighty years ago I fought in a war against my great-uncle," Jareth began. "I'm sure Didymus has told you the details."

Sarah shook her head. The fox goblin had told her many stories of his time in battle. It brought him great joy to relive his youth. And while he had mentioned it on occasion, the Goblin Revolution was one he was not as specific about.

"To make a long story short my great-uncle was a ruthless leader," Jareth stated. "He was what you would call a tyrant. What you once believed me to be."

"I'm sorry," Sarah said tearing her eyes from the king.

Jareth placed his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He placed his hand over the scar as another sharp pain attacked him from within. He took three deep breaths to chase away the lingering soreness in his side. "Those who were in favor of my father, myself included, rose up against the king. We went into battle. Many lives were lost." Sarah saw the distant, pained look in Jareth's eyes as he relived those moments. "Finally we cut through my uncle's defenses. He decided to meet with us to form a treaty. I didn't want a treaty, only to spill his blood in return for what he did. My father disagreed and wanted to end this peacefully."

Jareth tightened his hold on Sarah's hand.

"What happened?" the human asked.

Jareth stared down at his knuckles. "We went against our advisor's recommendation. My uncle had no intentions of making a treaty." Sarah feared Jareth's next words. A sob caught in Jareth's throat. He quickly swallowed it in an attempt to keep his composure. "The attack his general aimed at my father's back was too quick."

"I'm sorry," Sarah said squeezing Jareth's hand. She placed her other cool hand on top of the one resting on the blanket.

Jareth nodded. "I saw my father die in front of me." A line of silver liquid formed along the rims of Jareth's eyelids. "I was so angry I retaliated without thinking." Jareth winced at the image of himself slitting the general's throat. "My uncle used that time to run for his life—the coward." Sarah watched the look of anger brush over Jareth's face.

He winced again at the pain surrounding the scar. Both pairs of eyes glanced down at the now reddened area. Sarah reached out to touch it which caused the goblin king to hiss.

"I'm sorry," she apologized pulling her fingers from the inflamed area.

"No," Jareth said gingerly taking her hand. He placed it back upon the warm wound. "It's so hot. Your touch feels so nice."

Sarah nodded and kept her hand atop the sore area.

"I was a fool and followed after him," Jareth said, his thoughts returning to that fateful day. "I never expected the coward would try to ambush me. He threw himself upon me and we wrestled until I gained the upper hand. I kicked him off and stood over him." Jareth clearly saw himself with sword in hand ready to end the evil goblin's life. It was what vermin like him deserved. "He begged me to spare him. I was so angry, but he was family. He agreed to step down as king."

Sarah watched Jareth grip at the sheets once more. Whether it was from the searing pain or his memories she could not tell.

Jareth inhaled deeply then continued his story. "I agreed to let him live. We began to walk back to the office to write out a treaty. Once inside I made the mistake of turning my back and that's when he attacked." Jareth's hand instinctively touched the wound. "He stabbed me right here with a dagger. In self-defense I decapitated him with my sword."

"But that was so long ago," Sarah interrupted. "Why is it starting to hurt again?" A thought suddenly struck her. "Has it caused you pain all this time?"

Jareth shook his head. "No, that was when I met the kind goblin witch Brenna. She was a healer beyond any means possible. I've never seen healing magic like that before. So many studied under her, but none have reached her ability." Jareth's fingers caressed his bare neck. "She could tell by the wound that the dagger had a poisoned blade. Even if I survived the stabbing that monster made it so I would die of lithium poisoning—a deadly toxin to my kind."

"She was able to stop it?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, she was the only one who could counter the poison," Jareth replied. "It was already coursing through my veins so there was no way to destroy it permanently, but with her magic she was able to slow it dramatically." His fingers stopped at the area that the amulet once rested. "She made me that amulet. Its sole function was to keep the poison's effect at bay."

Sarah's gaze dropped to her hands.

Jareth's hands fell into his lap. He noticed the guilty look on Sarah's face and said, "Its effect was not permanent. Her magic had limits. It would only last for three-hundred years, so I had only another two centuries or so before the symptoms affected me."

"And Andrea knew that?" Sarah asked with anger in her voice.

Jareth nodded. "It's a strong possibility. Very few who were involved in the revolution know of the amulet's magic. However someone as intelligent as her who also uses magic was likely to notice its shape and design."

"And I helped her…" Sarah drifted off as she began to weep.

Jareth embraced the human and shushed gently into her ear. "Sarah, please listen, I don't blame you," he said softly. "There was no way you could've known." Jareth's finger wiped a falling tear from Sarah's eye.

She sniffed then said, "It's my fault. I have to do something. You can tell me where to find her and I'll beg her make another one?"

Jareth sighed. "I'm afraid it's not that simple." Before Sarah had a chance to question him he revealed the tragic news. "Brenna died twenty years ago. There are none who can replicate the magic she used to form that amulet."

Sarah's eyes fell on the shattered slivers that once formed the single item that kept Jareth alive. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the rotting corpse of Ridder. Soon Jareth would join him.

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The crowd of goblins gathered in the throne room. They had heard shouts and screams from outside the castle walls. The pixie had asked a few servants to collect as many subjects as possible in order to reveal what news she had.

Andrea took her place at the platform on which sat the throne. Numerous eyes stared up at her. She removed the hood and gave the subjects an appearance of extreme sorrow. So few recognized her from nearly a century ago, for that detail she was most grateful.

"Citizens of the Goblin Kingdom, I'm afraid I come to you with terrible news," Andrea announced to the crowd. "The rumors of a possible attack have been confirmed." Many whispers and murmurs filled the throne room. The pixie held up her arms to hush the panic. "Both the king and Captain Ridder have been murdered in the king's chambers."

"How is that possible?" a female goblin cried.

"I am not sure," Andrea replied. "By the time I arrived the killer had slain Ridder who supposedly tried to protect Jareth. The swordsman then cut the king deep and he bled out within minutes."

From the back of the crowd Lex stood with his arms crossed. He found it difficult to believe that the pompous captain would willingly risk his life for one he had wished death upon for decades. Still he chose to remain silent for the moment.

"We suspect that someone from Aboveground has been hired to infiltrate the kingdom and has allowed the murderer access to the castle," Andrea announced. "Yesterday Captain Ridder informed me that the human and several of her accomplices, those from our own kingdom, were apprehended and brought to the dungeon."

"The traitors must be brought to death!" a voice rung out.

"Their lives for the king's!" another cried.

Lex's eyes widened. He knew who the pixie spoke of. Yet the details of Andrea's story did not add up. Jareth had informed him that he requested Sarah's stay in the castle be comfortable. The king even mentioned earlier that he was to hold a trial for the supposed traitors and even broke the law by confiding in him that he disbelieved Ridder's testimony. With Vane's sudden execution that morning headed by the late captain, something just seemed off.

"This is a serious time," Andrea stated. "The king informed me days before that if anything should happen to him that the kingdom be passed to Captain Ridder."

A chorus of voices erupted in the crowd. They were split between those who hated Ridder, even those who had feared to speak out against him for years, were now voicing their opinions. Others were horrified to know that their king's replacement was dead.

"If in the rare case that the captain also dies the kingdom was to be passed to his next of kin," Andrea announced. "Since I was his bride, it is my duty to accept the title of queen." Those words were also followed with roaring voices.

Lex stood speechless. Having been the one who filed Jareth's will and requested to make changes several times he was well aware that neither person mentioned was to head the kingdom. If anything were to happen to the king it was Jareth's brother who was supposed to succeed him. And if a tragedy befell him then the kingdom was passed to Sir Didymus.

The goblin looked up at the front of the assembly to find numerous soldiers, followers and subordinates of Ridder, standing beside Andrea. A crown of gold and sapphires was placed upon the pixie's head. The majority of the crowd bowed before the new queen with the threat of death by the many swords pointed in their direction.

Lex made eye contact with several of Jareth's personal bodyguards and servants. They all nodded in understanding at what their fellow man quietly suggested. The twelve of them slipped away from the chorus that stood singing Andrea's praises.

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There you have it, folks. Will anyone be able to save the day? What will become of Jareth? Find out in the next installment. Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	11. Escape

I do not own Labyrinth.

At last, chapter eleven is ready. I'll go ahead and warn you that the beginning of this chapter is a bit of a tearjerker.

Warnings: This chapter contains a bit of violence and blood.

Find Your North Star: Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I hope you like this chapter just as much.

LadyBowie1947: Thanks for reviewing. Am I evil enough to let Jareth die? You'll have to find out. :P

Stacy Vorosco: Thanks for the review. There will be more Jareth agony in this chapter, but also a bit of sweet romance. I hope you enjoy.

Surelady: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying this story and hope you like this chapter as well.

On with the story!

* * *

She rammed her body against the heavy doors for the third time. Her arms ached with the forewarning signs of forming bruises. Sarah pushed the pain from her thoughts as she tried a fourth futile attempt to break down the exit to their prison. In the end all she was able to accomplish was a loud thud and a throbbing pain throughout her arm.

The brunette sank to her knees as a tear slipped down her nose. She glanced over to where the king rested uncomfortably on his bed. His pallid skin was covered in sweat. She winced at the tight inhalation of air complete with a painful moan. In the back of her mind she knew she was the one to blame for his current condition, however there was no time for self-pity.

Sarah jumped to her feet once more, the hem of the blue gown swayed about her feet. She pushed loose strands from her forehead as she faced the only obstacle barring her from succeeding in Jareth's rescue.

A glowing pink hue surrounded frame of the door. Andrea proved that her magic was not something to take lightly.

Sarah rushed over to Jareth's bedside. She knelt beside him and forced back the tears that threatened to spill when looking upon his ghastly state. The only thing separated him from the memory of the corpse at her mother's funeral was his faint heartbeat. All color had vanished from his usually pale face giving him the appearance of a solemn ghost. His platinum tresses were sprawled about the pillow, each one saturated in salt. He shook with fever.

"I'm so sorry," Sarah said taking Jareth's hand in hers. His skin was clammy and hot. A tear dripped onto Jareth's forearm causing him to stir.

Jareth slowly opened his eyes halfway. He offered Sarah a weak smile and opened his mouth to speak. His words halted by the agonizing spasm in his chest. He arched his back and let out a groan, landing harshly on the mattress. Sarah placed her hands on Jareth's cheeks, speaking soft, kind words to him.

Jareth labored to catch his breath. He glanced up at Sarah once more, not having the energy to mask the extent of his pain.

"Sarah," he said in a soft voice. She leaned in and gave him the best smile she could muster. A few more silver tears dripped onto Jareth's fevered skin. "Sarah," he repeated. He swallowed saliva as another jolt of pain was sent through his body. That time he managed to keep the expression of pain at a mere groan if only to help put aside some of Sarah's worries.

"I'm here, Jareth," she said with a sad smile.

Jareth opened his eyes and chuckled. Sarah held back a sob at the sound of the possible last laugh the goblin king would ever enjoy.

"I've always wanted to hear…" Jareth paused to catch his breath. He shifted stiffly causing Sarah to brush her hand over his aching arm. "To hear—to hear you say my name so sweetly," he said. He nuzzled his head against the comfort of the feather pillow. His eyes gradually shut as he added, "I can die in peace finally having fulfilled my dream."

The tears flowed freely from Sarah's eyes. "Please, Jareth, please don't talk like that," she begged with a sob. "Please don't give up." The tightened her grip on Jareth's hand and cupped her other hand over the one she held. "Please, we're going to fight this. Someone out there will find a cure for you."

With closed eyes Jareth lightly shook his head. "The only one with suitable magic to heal this wound has passed," he said in a barely audible voice. "It's a blessing that I was able to survive this long." His eyes met with Sarah's once more. "Even magic has its limitations."

Sarah moved closer. "I'm not going to give up," she declared. "I'm going to find a way to save you. Maybe we can barter with Andrea and she can—"

"Under no conditions will I accept her help!" Jareth snapped, immediately silencing Sarah's suggestion. The sudden outburst sent him into a coughing fit. Sarah rubbed his back as he regained control of his lungs.

"Okay, okay," Sarah agreed. "But we have to do something. It's my fault you're like this and I will find a way to fix it." She glanced around the bedchamber. "Are there any other exits to this room?" She recalled the hidden location to Jareth's sword and prayed that there were other secret passages.

"Afraid not," Jareth answered. "Couldn't risk anyone sneaking in to kill me in my sleep." He laughed at the irony of that statement.

Sarah's heart sank with her hopes of saving her king.

The feeling of warmth creeping beside him caused the blonde to glance up. He stared in confusion at the young woman climbing into his bed. Jareth opened his mouth to speak only for Sarah to shush him with two fingers upon his lips.

"I'm sorry I can't save you," Sarah sobbed. "But I can try to make your last moments more comfortable."

She curled beside him and wrapped her arms around his burning frame. Jareth leaned his head against her welcoming breast. Sarah gently rubbed her hand up and down Jareth's back. She pressed her cheek against the top of the goblin's head while tears showered his hair.

* * *

The pixie's voice could be heard from every inch of the goblin castle. Lex led the group to the one location that Andrea's prying ears could not penetrate. Once they were inside the safety of the depths of the damp dungeon the goblin turned to face the others.

There was a mixture of expressions on the faces of the cluster in which rage was the most prominent.

"I knew something wasn't right when Vane was executed," Lex stated. "The king was outraged when he discovered his death."

Ran spoke up, "Yes and why would Jareth give his kingdom to that pixie?"

"She is from the family Jareth's father fought against two-hundred years ago," Bennelly added. He was the oldest among the goblins and had served the royal family the entirety of his four-hundred year existence. "I recognized her ugly mug the moment she stepped on the throne."

"What do you suspect?" Ran asked.

"I fear that the king is dead," Bennelly said regretfully. "Or he's near death at least."

The other eleven gave a moment of silence in the case that their ruler had passed. When the minute of respect had been paid Lex looked up.

"We can't let her control this kingdom," he spoke. "If what I remember from Jareth's tales is correct then the pixies are ruthless people. "We'll fall into poverty and despair under her rule."

"What do you propose?" Dalmon asked.

"We need to send for help," Lex replied. He turned to Ran. "You're the fastest, send for Horace and his men." Lex grimaced at the possibility of needing to request Mizumi's help if a full battle between the goblins and the pixies erupt.

Ran nodded and transformed into his falcon form. He gracefully flew up the staircase until he reached a barred window. He tilted and escaped through the iron bars, heading towards the residency of Jareth's brother.

"As for the rest of us," Lex announced. "We need to search every inch of this castle until we find the king. Dead or alive we need to know."

Before any confirmation could be made a slight groaning from the cell a few feet down caught their attention.

The goblins ran down towards the direction of the noise. They could only hope one of Andrea's or Ridder's spies were not in the vicinity. Lex peered in through the bars to see the bruised dwarf scratching a boil on his head.

"Hoggle!" Lex exclaimed. The mentioned glanced up at the sound of his name. He jumped up and ran for the door, but the chain yanked him back and tossed him against the stone wall. Hoggle rubbed his throbbing arm while meeting eyes with the familiar face. "What are you doing in there?"

Hoggle snorted. "I was thrown in here against Jareth's orders," he replied.

Lex growled. Not even an hour as queen and Andrea was already abusing her power. He suddenly wondered how long the pixie had been in hiding waiting for the chance to strike.

"Step away from the gate!" the guard shouted.

Lex stepped forward. "Release the dwarf at once!" he demanded.

The guard laughed. "What are you going to do to stop me?" he asked then unsheathed a sword.

Lex's eyes narrowed and he pulled out his own steel sword from his scabbard. "I said let him go," he growled.

Before the guard could register what happened two of the other goblins ambushed him from behind and wrestled the weapon from his hold. The warden cried out for help but a punch in the lip from Bennelly quickly silenced him. He was thrown at Lex's feet.

"Let him go!" Lex demanded.

The guard showed no sign of relenting to his opponent's command. Lex snarled and sliced a deep gash into the guard's arm causing him to yell as blood collected into a puddle.

"I suggest you do as I say," Lex said raising his sword. "Next time I'll chop off a finger."

The warden nodded frantically. While quivering he reached into his pocket to reveal the key ring. He checked each one before holding out the correct one. He shook as he lowered the key to the lock. The edges of the key scraped against the keyhole several times before Lex's patience diminished. He slammed the hilt of his sword atop the guard's head knocking him unconscious.

Xyron picked up the discarded keys and inserted the correct one into the lock. The goblins and dwarf listened to the pleasing echo of the lock releasing. Xyron pushed the door open and rushed to Hoggle's side. He tried a few keys until he found the one that released the chain on the dwarf's ankle. The shackle clanked as it collided with the stone floor.

Xyron assisted Hoggle out of the cell while Bennelly and Dalmon carried the guard's heavy body inside. They left the cell and locked it with the once prison guard trapped inside the confines he used to watch.

"Thanks," Hoggle said to the assembly outside the cell. Most of them were goblins he had come in contact in his line of work, but several faces were new. However there was no time for introductions. Hoggle said, "Ludo's locked up two cells down, we have to save him too."

Lex nodded to Xyron who headed off in the direction of the yeti's cage. Felisse offered her shoulder to the injured dwarf for support.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Ridder's men beat me senseless last night, even after Jareth gave them specific instructions not to harm me anymore," Hoggle replied. The memory of the fists and boots colliding with his body resurfaced causing him to shudder. Felisse placed a comforting hand on Hoggle's shoulder.

"It'll be okay," Felisse said with a reassuring smile. "When I get us somewhere safe I'll take a look at the wounds."

"You're a nurse?" Hoggle asked.

Felisse replied with a nod.

Xyron returned with Ludo at his side. The guards had fastened a muzzle made of leather and chains around Ludo's mouth. Even with half his face covered by the device the others could plainly see the sorrow in his eyes.

"None of the keys fit it," Xyron explained.

"Be still," Lex instructed as Ludo lowered his head to Lex's level. The goblin inserted the sword between the leather and Ludo's hair. In two swift upward motions the muzzle fell to the ground.

Ludo let out a happy yell and wrapped his immense arms around Lex's small frame. The goblin kicked as he tried to keep his lungs working properly.

At last Ludo released his hold on Lex. He turned to face the others. "We don't have much time, we need to find the king," he paused and gripped the hilt of the sword tighter. "We have to determine if he's still alive."

"Where should we start searching?" Bennelly asked.

"We should separate in groups of three and four to cover more ground," Lex suggested. He turned to Felisse and said, "Take Hoggle to the infirmary."

"No, I can stand and fight," Hoggle argued.

"I don't think so," retorted Felisse as she dragged the unwilling patient to where he could be patched up.

Lex sent one group of four to Jareth's office and left another four to continue searching dungeon. He, Xyron, and Ludo hurried off to Jareth's bedroom as he recalled the king telling him earlier that he planned to retire for a few hours.

* * *

Sarah stroked Jareth's face while listening to his faint heartbeat. He appeared so innocent and incapable of the horrid rumors of cruelty while he slept. Her eyes no longer leaked for the one she indirectly signed a death warrant for, but her heart would continue to bleed for him even after he began his final slumber in the dirt.

Sarah suddenly wondered what those of the Underground did for funeral ceremonies. She vividly remembered her own mother's service. The woman she resembled more and more each day slept peacefully in the pine casket with her brown locks draped over her slender form. She was dressed in her favorite cerulean dress with pearl earrings adorning her lobes. The mourners were many, but there was none who took the blow as deeply as the twelve-year-old. Even years later Sarah occasionally wept for her deceased mother before sleep stole her away.

It pained the girl to know another she had become so close to would be joining the realm of the dead before long. Her heart ached to know that she was one of the factors that robbed him of another two possible centuries of ruling his kingdom. She feared to discover what other horrors would befall the kingdom now that the pixie she helped rise to power held reign. Jareth's cruel reputation had no merit against what Sarah witnessed Andrea do to the rightful king.

A sigh passed through Sarah's lips. She snuggled closer to Jareth's sleeping body. His breathing had slowed to an almost unhealthy rate. She was more than aware that the goblin king might never awaken from his current dream. As much as it disturbed her to wake in the arms of a corpse it was better than to spend the king's last few moments with him.

Sarah wondered if it was truly guilt that propelled her to stay by Jareth's side. Sure it was more inviting that staring at Ridder's rotting carcass against the wall. Any moment a second dead body would be added to the collection.

Even with diminishing life Jareth's embrace was warm. His dying breath felt so pleasant upon her neck. She tightened her grip around his waist. She glanced up as she felt him shift in her arms. He remained asleep, but the mere movement was enough to give her hope that a miracle would find them.

Time passed. Sarah could not give an exact estimate on how long she had been trapped inside the king's bedchambers. Seconds often meshed into minutes which formed hours and eventually days. Although she figured she could leave Underground at any time, there was no way she could live with herself if she just abandoned her friends.

The sound of approaching footsteps roused Sarah from where she lie. Sarah dashed over to the door to hear muffled voices on the other side.

"Hello, anyone out there?" she called while slamming her palm against the wooden surface. There came no reply. Sarah's hand clenched into a fist and she pounded the door while yelling louder. Jareth stirred at the commotion and painfully lifted himself into a sitting position all while gaping at the human girl.

"My king, is he in there?" a voice called from the other side.

"Hello, who's there?" Sarah yelled. "Please, if someone's there, please let us out."

"Who am I speaking to?" the voice that belonged to a male called.

"It's Sarah," she cried. "Please, Jareth is really hurt. You have to get us out of here!"

From the other side the three stared with gaping mouths at Sarah's confession. Lex swallowed and handed his sword over to Ludo before stepping forward to inspect the lock.

The glowing aura told the trio that a spell kept them prisoner. Lex ran his hand up and down the ledge, inspecting for any weak spot. Lex grabbed the sword from Ludo and began to pick at the lock. The light shocked the goblin, tossing him back against the wall. Lex let out a cry while struggling to lift himself to his feet. Xyron rushed to his leader's side immediately. Lex stood hunched over, one hand on his sore back.

"It's no use," Lex informed all involved. "The spell is too strong for us to break the lock."

"Maybe we can break it down," Xyron suggested.

The two looked up at Ludo who nodded in understanding. He stepped back to get a running start and bashed his left side hard against the door. It rattled but refused to budge. Ludo narrowed his eyes and attempted the attack on the bedroom one more time.

The spell countered Ludo's attack as he collided with the door. An electric jolt forced itself through the creature's body causing him to cry out in pain.

"Ludo!" Lex cried, kneeling down beside the injured yeti.

"Ludo hurt," he said with a tear.

"Wait, Ludo!" Sarah cried. She leaned closer to the door. "Did you say Ludo is there with you?"

Lex stepped forward. "Yes, my lady," he answered. "We broke him and Hoggle out of the dungeon."

Hoggle. The dwarf's name brought up painful memories. Sarah brought her hand to her mouth. "Is Hoggle okay? Where is he?"

Lex answered, "He was pretty banged up, but he's in good hands now."

Sarah let out a sigh of relief. She glanced over at Jareth who sat on the bed looking like he might pass out again any second. The urgency of the moment returned.

"Can you tell if the door is the only thing affected by the magic?" Sarah asked.

Lex surveyed the area. As far as he could tell the door was the only thing giving off a pink light.

"I think so," the goblin replied.

"Ludo, can you hear me?" Sarah called.

"Yes," Ludo replied.

"Listen carefully," Sarah instructed. "Do you think you make the stones in this wall collapse?" Sarah knocked on the mentioned wall.

"Ludo try," he said.

"Give it your best," she pleaded.

Ludo inhaled deeply and let out a groan. The stones in the wall began to tremble. The two goblins stepped out of injury range. Sarah smiled as she felt the foundation rocking. It was a possibility for the castle to become a casualty, but if it meant Jareth's survival it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

Sarah rushed over to where Jareth's sword lay abandoned. She picked it up and grasped the skirt of her dress. She sliced the blade through the fabric so that the skirt ended just an inch below her knees. She used the scraps to wipe away blood from the blade.

Ludo continued to call the rocks. One pebble popped out of the wall causing the other stones to shift. Two large stones crumbled, crashing on the marble floor outside.

"It's working!" Xyron cried.

A few more stones landed amongst the others. Xyron jumped out of the way to avoid being hit by a particularly large rock that tumbled down.

"Sarah," Jareth called.

The girl ran over to where the king sat with an outstretched arm. She hugged Jareth and stared into his weakening eyes.

"Please hang on," Sarah begged. "I'm going to find you some help."

"But Sarah," Jareth argued.

Sarah silenced him by placing her soft lips upon his. Jareth shut his eyes, enjoying his possible last kiss. The innocent, yet passionate kiss claimed its place as one of the highest moments of his life.

Sarah placed a hand on Jareth's shoulder. "I promise I'll be back." She kissed him once more then added, "I'll be back for you."

The rest of the wall crumbled about Ludo's feet. He silently thanked the rocks for listening to him during the emergency. Sarah escaped through the newly created door. Lex stepped through the hole and dashed over to his king.

"My lord," Lex said bowing before Jareth.

"Rise, Lex," Jareth commanded to which the mention obeyed. The two stared at each other in silence for a few minutes more. Jareth smiled at his loyal servant.

"What did she do to you?" Lex asked. He clenched his fist already desiring to spill that pixie's blood. That was when he noticed Jareth's neck bereft of the amulet.

"Don't worry about me," Jareth said. "Please keep Sarah safe."

"I will my king, I promise," Lex said with a bow. He stepped out where the other three waited. "We have to send Felisse here at once."

"Will she be able to negate the poison?" Sarah asked.

Lex shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he answered. "She's only a nurse, no magic. But that's better than nothing." Lex's blood continued to boil. His every desire at the moment was to make Andrea suffer the way she caused Jareth and Sarah to.

Sarah adjusted her hold on Jareth's sword. Xyron was left behind to keep an eye on Jareth while the others rushed off to retrieve medical assistance.

The only thought in Sarah's mind and heart was for Jareth to live. If he was allowed to make it out of the ordeal alive she vowed to spend the rest of her life making it up to him. The goblin king, the one she finally admitted that she learned to love.

* * *

What will happen next? Will they be able to find help for Jareth? Will Andrea realize their plans? Find out in the next chapter.

Thank you for reading. Until next time!


	12. Fading Hope

I do not own Labyrinth. Never have, never will. It's just a painful fact of life.

Find Your North Star: Thanks for the review. I won't make any promises for Jareth, but it will definitely be a fight for all characters. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

LadyBowie1947: Thanks for the review. Sorry I made you cry, but maybe that's a good thing. Maybe? I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Stacy Vorosco: Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and hope you like this one too.

Jenny: Thanks for reviewing. Thanks for the compliment, that's very kind of you. I hope you like the new one.

This chapter is kind of filler. I was going to add the next part, but I figured this one stood on its own. Not too much action here, but there will be lots more in the next chapter.

* * *

Felisse finished wrapping the bandage about Hoggle's head. "That should help with the healing," she said.

The dwarf looked upon himself. His leg was tied up in a soft splint and the various bruises and cuts along the body had been properly dressed. He glanced over at the goblin who was busying herself with pouring the correct amount of antidote for her patient's pain.

She returned with a teaspoon of a lime green liquid and instructed Hoggle to open his mouth. The dwarf obeyed and immediately regretted the sour taste of the medicine. Still he forced it down his throat and gratefully accepted the goblet of water Felisse handed to him.

"That should do you for now," Felisse said running a hand over Hoggle's forehead. "If you take it easy you should be fully recovered in two day's time."

Hoggle groaned. Even though it was a speedy recovery, being out of commission for forty-eight hours was such a long time. Not to mention the fact that Sarah might require his assistance at any time.

The dwarf looked down at the floor in shame. Felisse had revealed to him how Andrea had taken control of the kingdom and how she had announced that Jareth died. It pained him to know he was one of the reasons Andrea rose to power. Sarah was in some sort of danger all because she agreed to help him help a woman who never had any true feelings for him and he fell victim to her deceit.

The door to the infirmary swung open. Felisse grabbed a scalpel from the tray and pointed it towards the intruders. She took a deep breath and lowered the tool upon seeing the faces of her allies along with the human girl.

"I take it you are Sarah," Felisse said to the brunette.

Sarah nodded. "Pleased to meet you, Felisse, right?" she asked.

The curly-haired goblin nodded. "If you are a friend of the king then I bid you welcome, but if you are an ally to Andrea, then prepare for death," she said with a tight grip on the silver weapon.

"Trust me, there's nothing I want more right now than to see that woman crumble," Sarah said with an intense passion in her eyes. The memory of Jareth clinging to her as he slowly faded away fueled her disdain.

"Then you have my respect and my service," Felisse said with a bow of her head.

"We do require your assistance," Lex said stepping forward. "Xyron is guarding the king right now, but he's in critical condition and in need of whatever you can do for him." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door.

"Then we must waste no time," Felisse said grabbing her leather bag from the cabinet.

Hoggle leapt down from the bed and let out a deep groan from the pain pulsating through his leg. Sarah hurried to his side.

"You have to stay here," Felisse ordered.

"Can't," Hoggle argued. "I'm partially responsible for what happened and I will avenge Vane and everyone else who had to suffer because of that...! I don't even have a word to describe her."

"Hoggle, I think you should listen to her," Sarah tried to reason.

Once again Hoggle showed him how stubborn he could be. Just like her last adventure in the Underground Hoggle proved that he would not abandon his friends when they needed him most. Sarah realized there was no way of talking him out of it and decided to let him join.

Ludo tossed Hoggle over his shoulder, instructing him to hold on tight. The group led the nurse to the staircase that led to the royal bedchambers. They suddenly halted upon seeing several of guards patrolling that path.

"Come on, there's a secret entrance to that floor through the office," Lex whispered, waving his hand towards that direction.

The others quietly followed after the leader. Lex kept his eyes peeled for any possible opponents. He did not want to spill any blood other than Andrea's, but if an adversary made the mistake of stepping in his way, then he would stain his blade for the good of his kingdom.

Lex turned the doorknob to find it locked. He cursed and placed the sword under his arm while frantically searching his pockets for the key. Ludo narrowed his eyes and kicked down the door.

"That'll work too," commented Lex.

The five entered through the vacant doorframe. Lex hurried over to the picture of Jareth's father that hung on the wall. Like the portrait in Jareth's room that one shielded a secret. The castle reminded Sarah more and more of a mystery novel. Lex pressed the button on the back of the frame which caused the room to shake. A secret door appeared to their left.

Sarah stepped over to the wall. She pushed with all her strength, the wall slowly heeding to her will. Ludo and Hoggle assisted her with opening the secret door. A cloud of dust crept into the room the instant the door was pushed aside, causing the five to cough. Sarah waved her hand through the white specks and stared down into what appeared to be a secret staircase that led up.

Lex lit two lanterns and handed one to Sarah and kept the other for himself. Lex took his place as leader and began his ascension of the steps: a sword clutched tightly in one hand and their source of light in the other. Ludo (with Hoggle on his back) followed Lex, with Sarah close behind holding the other lantern. Felisse stayed in the back, her bag in hand and armed with a surgery tool.

The group dashed up the stairs, their feet pounding on the stone steps. The lighting was dim, but the close proximity of the colleagues kept them following the same direction.

Sarah's foot missed the next step and she took a fall. Her nose would have smashed onto the step had it not been for Ludo's quick reflexes. She thanked him in a short breath and was placed back on her feet. Once announcing her safety to everyone, thankful that none could see her flushed cheeks in the dim lighting, they continued their ascent.

A wooden door waited for them at the end of the passage. The head goblin pulled at the doorknob to find it locked. He tried a few more times then stepped aside with a growl.

Lex gave Ludo a smirk and the yeti knew what to do. He kicked open door, shattering splinters along the blue carpet. Lex was the first to step into the hallway, his sword held high, scouting for any potential threats. Upon clearing the area he beckoned the others to follow. Sarah stepped through the wall to find the door was yet another chameleon in the wallpaper.

Ludo placed Hoggle on the ground then stepped out himself. Hoggle turned to assist Felisse through the opening that was a bit too high for her. Hoggle helped her climb to the top of the newly created hole. While stepping out she slipped and fell into the dwarf's arms. Hoggle spoke calming words to her while tightening his arms around her back. Felisse stared up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Come, Jareth's room is down this way," Lex said to the others.

Sarah tightened her grip on the sword and followed after Jareth's servant. The others stayed close in tow. Despite the fact that acute pain was shooting through Hoggle's ankle, he refused to be carried any further and pushed the discomfort to the back of his mind.

The group arrived at Jareth's bedroom to see the spell still holding against the door. Lex and Sarah stepped through the makeshift door, Felisse following closely behind. Ludo and Hoggle were instructed to stay outside incase anything happened to their only exit.

Hoggle held tight to the sword that had once belonged to the dungeon guard. He hoped to not have to stain the blade with crimson, but if that must be the case to protect his friends, there would be no difficulty in taking a life.

"My lord," Lex said bowing before Jareth. He did not wait for permission to rise as his king's health was more important than formalities at the moment. He stepped forward and stared upon Jareth's pallid complexion. "Felisse is here to look after your wounds."

"Won't do any good," Jareth said in a silent voice that those standing in earshot had to strain to hear them. He inhaled sharply and coughed. A stream of scarlet trickled down his lip.

Sarah turned from Jareth and held her face in her hands. Her back began to shake as tears filled her palms. With bared teeth she swore that Andrea would pay for everything.

"Don't talk like that, my king," Felisse said as she stood on a chair next to the bed. Lex assisted her with removing the bandage from his bare chest. The flesh near his heart had turned the color of pitch. There were several purple veins exposed beneath the nearly transparent skin leading from that organ. Felisse had to stifle a gasp in her throat. She reached into her bag and grabbed a special cream that was used to slow most toxins.

"What do you think?" Sarah asked, hoping that her worst fears would not be confirmed.

Felisse gave her a sad glance. "I'll do what I can to fight off the poison," she said. "But it's already reached his heart."

"It's no use," Jareth muttered before falling into slumber.

The human stared at the goblin king. His eyes had a glossy film over them and he kept lolling in and out of consciousness. His breathing had slowed to an unhealthy pace. Jareth coughed once more to hack up a wad of red. The liquid slid down his neck and onto the top of his chest. His face fell to the side and his breathing became more labored.

The sound of that pixie's laugh surfaced in Sarah's memory. She celebrated at the fact that he only had mere hours until his death. Felisse made it painfully obvious that there was little room for hope. Still she continued to apply medicines to the king's infected bloodstream, if only to make his death less painful. Sarah knew there was little she herself could do for Jareth.

Sarah's grip on her sword tightened. She swung it then headed towards the door. Lex followed after her and instructed Xyron to protect Jareth and Felisse if anything happened. The two of them along with Hoggle and Ludo began their path back to the throne room. There was a score to settle with Andrea and the night would end the life of either her or Sarah, and Sarah was more than confident that the one to die was not going to be her.

* * *

That's quite a depressing note on which to end a chapter. Oh well, there will be lots of action in the next chapter and a confrontation that you don't want to miss. Until next time!


	13. Confrontation

Oh my goodness, I have not updated this story in over a year. I apologize to everyone. I had severe writer's block and didn't know where to go with this story. Plus I rewrote the first few chapters while searching for and fixing all inconsistencies. I know it's been a long wait and I can't apologize enough for it.

Thank you LadyBowie1947, find your North Star, Stacy Vorosco, and thebabewiththepower for your reviews of the last chapter. I know it's been a long time since my last update, but I hope you all enjoy this one too.

Warning: There is a good amount of violence, blood, gore, and some horror in this chapter. One scene towards the end is kind of disturbing. I might have to up the rating to M because of this chapter. Maybe not, it's not as graphic as my M stories, but I don't know. Please let me know if it's still tame enough to be T, or if it should be higher.

* * *

The group descended the stairs. There was no need for any words to be passed between the four. The image of their dying king provided them with the necessary motivation. Their lives were a price worth their freedom, their kingdom, and the land's rightful sovereign.

Sarah's hand gripped the hilt tightly. She could only hope to refrain from using the stained blade again. Taking one life was already riding on her conscience. However, there was still one more heart she wished to cease beating by the day's end. The sword would taste that crimson beverage one last time before taking its eternal rest.

At the moment Sarah could only feel grateful to her stepmother for urging her to take up a sport in addition to her theatre and art clubs. Sarah finally selected the fencing club in order to get Karen off her back (as it was a club sport that would not interfere with play rehearsals). Now she realized that she would require those skills and only hoped she was as decent as her instructor's praised her to be.

Lex suddenly stopped nearly causing the others to crash into him. Standing at the bottom of the stairs were several goblins who proudly adorned the right shoulder of their armor with Andrea's crest. The medallion was made of bronze with the etching of a full-bloom rose in the center. A wreath of dagger-like thorns encircled the flower.

Lex tightened his grip on the sword. Hoggle recognized two of their opponents from the group who beat him in the dungeon.

"This passage is closed," the leader of the group said as he stepped forward. "We have been instructed to take the king's murderers directly to the gallows."

"Murderers?" Hoggle gasped.

"Step aside, men," Lex said, lifting his sword. "The king still lives. He is fatally wounded, but that 'queen' you speak of has accused the wrong people."

"She told us that you'd say that," another member of the army snarled. He lifted his longsword. "I say we hack them to pieces and tell the queen they resisted."

There was a chorus of agreement from the others. Both of Sarah's hands clamped around the hilt. There were ten of them versus the four. She knew the likelihood of failure. The mortal recalled many instances the heroes in those fantasies she adored came out victorious in similar instances. However, she had to remind herself that she was not reading a fairytale.

The lead goblin refused to listen. "If you value your pathetic lives I suggest you surrender," he said with a smirk. "Perhaps if you beg enough her highness will spare you."

"Or grant you a less painful death," another from the squadron said with a snicker.

"We don't serve Andrea," Lex declared. "We serve King Jareth alone. If you don't step aside then you are a traitor to the rightful king."

The lead goblin frowned. "King Jareth is dead," he bellowed. "Queen Andrea is the only power we serve." With those words he swung at Lex.

Jareth's servant parried the blow just in time. Several strands of auburn hair floated to the marble step. The two backed up. The enemy had the advantage for he dashed up the stairs, pushing Lex into the railing.

The other goblins charged at the remaining three. Ludo's eyes narrowed and he stepped in front of his friends. With a sideswipe of his hand he knocked two of their attackers down the steps. Were it not for the armor they would have undoubtedly suffered fatal injuries. Ludo grabbed a loose stone and yanked it free from the others along the staircase wall. He smashed the stone onto the head of one of the goblins.

Sarah and Hoggle used Ludo as a shield as they descended the stairs. Their opponents waited with drawn weapons. Sarah dashed out from behind the yeti and slashed the sword against the goblin's abdomen. A loud clang rang through the air as the metal weapon collided with the breastplate. The goblin swung at Sarah, the human dodged just in time to avoid any vital wounds at the cost of a small laceration across the top of her forearm.

Sarah hissed at the searing pain. There was no time to dwell on the injury as her opponent advanced with another assault. Sarah's blade blocked the other before it lowered on her face. The goblin pushed down on Sarah's sword causing her to bend backwards.

The human's attention fell to the ground then she kicked the other's feet out from underneath. As he fell he landed on his own sword that penetrated the soft area of the armor at the armpit. In a matter of seconds a pool of crimson seeped from the gash. Sarah pushed the thoughts from her mind to spare her stomach and continued the assault.

Another goblin, one of Hoggle's victims, fell to the ground. She watched with a heavy heart as he writhed and gurgled. A stream of red ejected from his mouth.

Lex bashed his opponent in the jaw with the pommel of his sword. He swung the hilt back around then slashed the enemy in both kneecaps. A piercing howl filled the staircase as the injured goblin fell on the marble surface. While gasping for air he reached up, his eyes pleading for Lex's mercy. The king's loyal servant steadied his weapon incase of trickery.

"Please," he gasped. "Please, don't kill me."

Lex lowered his sword then beckoned with his hand for those in his battalion to cease fighting. The opposing forces were backed into a corner. Hoggle, Sarah, and Lex stood facing them with their swords pointing at the enemy.

It was Sarah who chose to step forward. She sheathed her sword in the leather casing then held out her hand to the remaining three. "Give me your swords," she commanded in a voice that left no room for debate.

The goblins were hesitant to obey, but a shake from Lex's sword gave them the motivation needed. The three of them shakily handed over their weapons. Ludo was none to gentle about retrieving the items, nearly dislocating the arm of one goblin. Said goblin shrieked and sunk back against the wall, his heart palpitating beneath the iron armor. Hoggle searched them for any possible hidden weapons. Upon discovering none he nodded at the human.

"Now," Sarah began once the goblins were disarmed. "You will take us straight to that wench who dares to call herself queen."

"How dare you speak of Queen Andrea in that manner?" the smallest goblin screamed. "The price will be your head." His index finger protruded from the iron gauntlet, directed at the female.

Lex growled and leapt forward. With a quick motion the offending digit was severed. The goblin hollered and nursed the bleeding nub in his opposite hand against the iron breastplate.

"Anyone else want to be a hero?" Sarah growled. Upon seeing the frightened faces of the other two she took that as her cue to continue. "You are nothing but sniveling cowards who betrayed their king for a phony. I'm pretty sure you know what the laws for treason are here." The three warriors exchanged glances, not bothering to hide the fear in their eyes.

"She told us you killed the king," one goblin answered shakily.

"The council might take that into consideration when deciding your fate," Lex replied. "But King Jareth will probably be more tolerant if you lead us to that wretched pixie." To better indicate his point he shook the bloodstained blade in the exposed faces of those standing before him. He brought the sword back in front of him, the sharp edge parallel to his face. "If not, I will end you right here."

The four goblins stared at one another, silently deliberating. The tapping of Sarah's foot warned them of what little time they had to reach their decision.

"Alright," one spoke up. "But you have to promise not to kill us."

"You just worry about getting us there without any tricks," Sarah replied. Her eyes burned with the reddest flames. Her thoughts could only surround the king writhing in a pool of his own sweat and blood because of her foolish action.

The smallest goblin nodded speedily. He and the other two began their walk to the throne room. Lex and Ludo followed closely, both on guard.

Hoggle winced at the sight of glistening scarlet dripping down Sarah's hand. He reached out and gently grabbed Sarah's wrist.

"You're hurt," Hoggle said surveying the wound.

Sarah pulled her hand free. "It's just a small scratch," she replied.

Hoggle glanced down at his feet. He shook his head then ripped fabric from his tunic and wrapped it securely around the gash.

"It's not good, but it'll do," Hoggle said sadly.

"I'll be fine," said Sarah. Her eyes became grave as she added, "The sight of Andrea's blood will ease all my pain."

Hoggle nodded. The two ran to catch up with the others. The group turned a corner that led to a belowground tunnel that would lead straight to room adjacent to the one that housed Andrea.

* * *

Felisse pressed a clean, wet cloth upon the king's forehead. His blond locks were saturated with sweat. It hurt him too much to keep his eyes open. He arched his back as breathing became more of a workout for him.

Felisse took Jareth's large hand in both of her small ones. She spoke soothing words to him while instructing him to follow her breathing pattern. Jareth tried to imitate, but eventually began to choke on his own saliva. Felisse helped him onto his side. After a few heavy hacks the offending liquid was expelled from his esophagus. Jareth fell against the bed, inhaling deeply. His fingers tightened around the smaller goblin's. She bit her lip and tightly shut her eyes in a vain attempt to keep the tears from forming.

Xyron stepped forward with the ground herbs. Felisse accepted the bowl and added the right amount of hot water then mixed. She sat down on the bed while Xyron helped Jareth to sit up then steadied his body.

"Drink this, your majesty," Felisse said in a soft voice.

Jareth tried to obey, but the majority of the medicine dripped down the side of his face. Felisse wiped away the liquid then gave it a second attempt. That time the majority of the medication was consumed. Both Felisse and Xyron were aware that the medicine would only slightly ease the suffering and nothing more.

Jareth suddenly grabbed Felisse's hand causing her to shriek and drop the bowl. He tightened his hold on the goblin's fingers.

"Sarah," Jareth said hoarsely. He coughed twice then opened his eyes. Xyron had to look away. The majestic feel that usually radiated from those irises were glossed over with a cloud of pain and confusion. "You came to me." With those words Jareth shut his eyes. He struggled to sit up only to fall back down on his back.

"Y—your highness," Felisse stammered.

He squeezed Felisse's hand, having not heard her voice. "I'm—I'm blessed t—to see you one last time—" His words were interrupted by a coughing fit. Tears glistened at the corners of his glossed eyes. He gasped for oxygen twice before laboriously breathing again. "I—I can d—die in peace knowing…know—knowing you're by my side."

The goblin king begged for the air to reach his lungs. He coughed instead turning his head to the side to expel black phlegm from his mouth. Some of the bile splattered on Felisse's cheek and the rest dripped down his chin.

With her fingers Felisse wiped away the bodily liquid. Her other hand ran through Jareth's humid tresses. The goblin did her best to imitate Sarah's voice and said sweetly, "I'll always be by your side, my king."

Jareth smiled and shut his eyes. He rested his head against the pillow. For the first time in the past hour he finally looked at peace.

"That's not blood," Xyron commented as he pulled Felisse away from the resting goblin. She shook her head. "What was that?"

"The poison is mixed with his blood," Felisee said while tears trickled down her cheeks. "I don't know any way to separate it." She bowed her head and in a barely audible voice added, "I'm sorry."

* * *

Droplets of stale water fell from the ceiling and formed into small puddles at a steady rate of every six seconds. Sarah pitied any poor soul who got lost in the tunnel and was forced to listen to that sound forever.

She wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt to block out the chilled atmosphere. The only light radiated from a torch being carried by one of Andrea's men at the front of the line. Lex kept his sword on them.

Ludo carried Hoggle once more, against the wishes of the dwarf. Twice since their arrival at the tunnel Hoggle stopped and gripped at his ankle. Though he was careful not to verbally announce his discomfort, Sarah and Ludo witnessed both incidents. Sarah ended up nodding to the yeti who agreed with his human companion and slung a protesting Hoggle over his shoulder.

The only sound were the pounding of boots and the clanging of armor. Sarah's shivers increased, though she was unsure if they originated from the draft or uncertainty. Any second those leading them could turn and if not there would be more enemies waiting for them in the throne room. From what she gathered in the past hour-Andrea was not one who would easily surrender power.

_I actually hope she doesn't._ Sarah imagined the frightened face of Andrea the moment she buried Jareth's sword in the pixie's abdomen.

They reached the end of the tunnel which led to another staircase. Sarah grumbled under her breath, truly curious as to how many secret passages and stairways this castle contained. The goblin in front suddenly stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Lex smacked his helmet with the hilt of his sword, causing the inside to ring. The goblin held his ears and pleaded for the vibrations to cease.

"Queen Andrea's throne is just beyond this door," the smallest goblin gasped, still nursing his wound. He looked as though he would pass out any second.

"Now will you let us go?" another one asked.

"That's for the king to decide," Lex spat. He then sliced each of them below their kneecaps. They all fell upon one another, emitting screams. The floor was soon painted scarlet. "Stop moving!" Lex shouted as he held the blade out front. The recently acclaimed blood dripped from the tip onto one of the goblin's helmet. "The cuts aren't deep to kill, only disable you." He brought the sword down then added, "You keep moving and you will die."

Lex placed his hand on the door when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Lex spun around and relaxed upon seeing it was the dwarf who touched him.

"Wasn't that a bit harsh?" Hoggle asked.

"These are the same lot who beat you," Lex replied.

Hoggle nodded. "I know, but..."

"There's no room for mercy in battle," Lex said as he turned away.

Hoggle bowed his head in understanding. He recalled Didymus saying something similar when a painful memory of a battle long ago was mentioned. It scared his friends to see Didymus take that tone and wear a face of sorrow.

Lex found the latch and pushed the door open to reveal another illusion in the wall. The cheering crowd hid him from Andrea's sight. Sarah ducked down and remained in a crouched position so as not to give themselves away. Hoggle stepped out next. The sudden pressure on his sore ankle caused him to lose balance and swear. When he hit the tiles all those surrounding turned to face him.

"It's the human!" one goblin shrieked as he backed up.

Sarah looked out in the crowd to see countless fingers pointing in her direction along with inaudible cries of disgust. She straightened her posture and tightened her grip on the sword.

"The Moraine witch's assistant!" she clearly heard.

"She killed the king!" a female goblin shouted.

Andrea stood from her throne and made it to the front of the platform. Her scowl gradually formed into a smirk. Sarah seethed as she stared at the monster wearing Jareth's crown.

"You finally show yourselves," Andrea spoke with a cackle. "You thought you could help that witch claim this territory, but you were mistaken." Her lips coiled into a tighter smile. "And will pay with your lives."

The pixie snapped her fingers and twenty guards emerged, ten trailing to the right and ten to the left, weapons held high. As with the ones in the tunnel they wore Andrea's crest.

"Slay the others, but bring the girl and the dwarf to me," Andrea called. "I want the pleasure of executing them myself."

"Andrea," Hoggle said in a half whisper. "How could you?"

Sarah held her sword high. One of the guards grabbed for her. The human jumped out of the way in time and swung the sword, gashing the guard's arm. He hollered and quickly switched hands, slinging the sword towards the human. The broadsword sliced her across her lower abdomen. Sarah cried out while her hands immediately went towards the injured area. She moved her palms to see them soaked in crimson. The red stained her dress and dripped from her slightly bent figure like a fountain.

The guard grabbed both of her arms and forcefully grabbed her chin to straighten her body. He shoved her forward. Sarah glanced behind her to see Hoggle struggle while being carried by another guard. Lex fought off four goblins, but another five moved at the same time and wrestled him to the ground where his weapon was tossed away. Ludo had been threatened to give himself over or Sarah and Hoggle's deaths would be extremely painful. The yeti wept as he lowered his defenses and allowed his wrists to be chained behind his back.

Sarah was pushed through a crowd of hissing and jeering goblins. One threw a rock at her forehead. She slightly winced as she tried to keep herself from crying. She stumbled and the guard kneed her in the small of her back. She cried out, splashing blood on several who stood before her.

They suddenly stopped when a stout goblin stepped in their way. Through slightly blurred vision Sarah could make out the familiar figure. She blinked away the tears and saw the frowning face of the woman who nursed her back to health. Unlike the others she displayed no anger, but mixed emotions of genuine hurt.

"Sarah," she said softly inching closer. "Did you really kill the king?"

"No," Sarah whimpered.

"Enough," the guard said tightening his hold on her arms.

"I didn't kill him!" Sarah screamed. She looked the nurse in the eyes and continued, "I swear it. I saved him from Ridder. He would've killed him."

"Captain Ridder?" the goblin to Sarah's right asked.

"Yes," Sarah said while trying to jerk free. "I'll never forgive him for what he did to Vane."

At the sound of his friend's name the guard released his hold. He turned her towards him and barked, "Whattaya know of Vane?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed. Angry tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Ridder falsely accused him against Jareth's will because he knew the truth." She turned to face Andrea and said to each of the goblins. "Don't believe me, you can ask Jareth himself." She nodded towards the ceiling and added, "He's slowly dying up there of poisoning that she caused." Sarah's glare fixed itself on Andrea. "She's mislead you and put Jareth in peril."

"It's true," Hoggle said as he was dropped on the platform next to Andrea.

"Don't listen to her!" Andrea screeched. "That Moraine witch instructed her to fill you with lies. If anyone's poisoned the king it's her."

"You can ask the king himself," Sarah proclaimed.

"He'd be delirious because of the poision," Andrea retorted. "We have our culprits right here. And I command you to bring her here."

The guard grabbed Sarah and tossed her over his shoulder. She screamed when her injured flesh smacked against the metal armor. The other goblins moved aside for the larger one, though inside they each were conflicted with the recent information.

Just as Sarah was tossed next to Hoggle one of the smaller goblins called out, "That's the king's sword!" He pointed to the fallen blade that laid next to the puddle of blood. "I fought beside him in the rebellion." He stepped out in the crowd and pointed an accusing finger towards Andrea. "The king put a spell on it so only those loyal to him could use it. She's a liar and a fraud!"

Sarah gasped. It finally made sense why neither Ridder nor Andrea went for the sword earlier.

"Kill her!" one of the goblins shouted.

Andrea glared and spoke an incantation. Four of the goblins closest to the platform screamed as their bones were yanked from their bodies. The discarded bodies were tossed aside and the bones formed into a single skeletal figure. The four skulls melded into a single large one. Smaller bones were broken up to form shark-like teeth. The hulking monster stomped forward, fighting off the attacking goblins. Those who were not tossed aside or crushed were absorbed and added to the monster's body.

The guards quickly released Ludo and Lex. The strongest forces ran forward. The monster grabbed one of the guards and crushed him in his massive hand. The limp body was discarded as it searched for its next victim.

Ludo growled then ran forward. He punched the creature in the jaw, splintering the bones. With another blow the creature went down and the bones shattered. To be on the safe side several of the warriors went melee on the fallen creature.

Sarah and Hoggle cheered. The dwarf chided her for moving and continued his treatment of her wound. What was left of his tunic hung in tatters over the upper half of his torso.

Andrea glared at the two. She howled and with a quick spell sent Hoggle flying across the platform. His head smacked against the stone wall instantly knocking him unconscious. Sarah clenched her fist and went to stand. Her body swayed and Andrea used the momentary distraction to knock the human back to the ground.

The pixie returned her attention to the advancing goblins. They each had weapons raised and were intent on severing her head.

Andrea raised her hands once more and her eyes glowed a bright red. She chanted again in her language and caused a whirlwind to send those nearby crashing into one another. She smirked and began a second chant. The twenty throne guards' eyes glowed as red as Andrea's. They turned away from the queen and attacked their fellow men.

Ludo and Lex led the defense against the newly turned foes. Lex breathed hard with both sweat and blood pouring from him. Ludo had not taken as hard of a beating, but he too had slowed. A mace smacked the giant in the face, causing him to growl. The walls shook causing all inside to panic. Ludo quickly quieted himself. As tempting as the idea sounded, and though it would guarantee their win, he was not willing to sacrifice the innocent women and children inside.

"Your friend is a fool," Andrea laughed as she watched. She then raised her hands and began the chant once again. Sarah lifted herself upon her hands and waited for the next result. Several of the soldiers from outside, most of whom were under Ridder's command joined the possessed ones inside. "Kill them all!" Andrea shouted.

With stoic faces the zombies began their assault on every living creature in their way. Sarah watched in horror as the new army massacred dozens of innocent goblins. Sarah hissed then tackled Andrea to the ground. She punched the pixie twice in the face before Andrea kicked Sarah directly in her wounded stomach.

Sarah rolled over, coughing and gripping at the sharp pains pulsating through her body. Andrea kicked her in the chest so that the human landed on her back. Sarah inhaled deeply.

Andrea pulled a dagger from her satchel. With a smirk and a cackle she said, "With Jareth gone there's no one who can interfere."

"That's...that's why you wanted to kill him," Sarah wheezed.

"That's why you needed the amulet," Hoggle said weakly from the corner. He attempted to crawl towards the two, but fell. "So he can't fight back."

"His magic was too strong," Andrea answered. "He had to go." She hoisted the dagger above Sarah's head. "With no one to save you, you can now join him."


	14. Battle for the Kingdom

I don't own Labyrinth.

Warning: This is a violent, bloody chapter. There are also some character deaths in here.

Thank you Find your North Star, auctavia1228, Honoria Granger, LadyBowie1947, and Alorindanya for your reviews!

* * *

Sarah glared as she tried to move herself into a more defensive position, ignoring that she could barely breathe. Andrea smirked and with her free hand grabbed the side of Sarah's face. She brought the knife against the human's throat and licked her lips.

"You'll never get away with this," Sarah said in a weak voice.

"Jareth has fallen and there is no magic to rival mine," Andrea replied with a cackle. She let the blade of the knife gently cut across Sarah's throat. The human held in her cries while the weapon superficially sliced her skin.

"They will fight," Sarah whispered.

"Once Jareth is dead I will cut out his heart," Andrea answered. She moved her hand to Sarah's shoulder, her being the only thing holding her upright. The knife was slowly brought against Sarah's chest. "And then I will inherit his magic as well."

Sarah shivered, trying her best to stay awake while looking around for anything that would help her escape. Her comrades fought against the zombies who were slowly overtaking the subjects. Those who resisted were immediately slain.

"I w—won't l—let you kill him," Sarah weakly whispered. She struggled in Andrea's grasp. The pixie smacked her across the face causing her to fall back into the puddle of blood.

Andrea crouched over Sarah, stepping on the wound. Sarah cried out in pain as the blood gushed at a faster rate. With a smirk Andrea said, "But first I'll take yours."

Just as the knife was lowered towards Sarah's heart a piercing pain shot through Andrea's shoulder. She howled and grabbed at the offensive item protruding from her back. Her own blood stained the head of the arrow. Her reddened eyes glared back to where Bennelly stood armed with a bow and another arrow ready to strike.

A figure dropped in between the two and kicked Andrea away from the bleeding human. Both Sarah and Hoggle looked up to see the familiar face smiling back at them.

The tiny hands grabbed hold of Sarah's. "I apologize for my delay, m'lady," Didymus said before turning to face the approaching foe.

Andrea growled and readied her hands for another attack. Didymus was too quick and advanced, kicking her in the jaw. With his sword drawn high he did not hesitate for the pixie to stand. The fox goblin cut her in the center of the right elbow forcing that limb useless.

"I'll kill you slowly," snapped Andrea.

"Then I'll have to slay you quick to prevent your task," Didymus cried. In a softer voice he added, "Besides, it's not my style to make a woman suffer." He readied his feet for the next attack, trying not to undo the stitches in his leg.

Hoggle used the distraction to crawl over to Sarah. The brunette barely managed a smile and groaned when Hoggle moved her hand from the open wound. He grabbed the discarded dagger by Sarah's side and cut the surrounding fabric. Sarah hissed as the material glued to the sensitive skin with her own blood was pulled away.

Hoggle apologized with his eyes before removing what was left of his shirt and folded it to make a dressing. He placed the cloth against the oozing wound, causing Sarah to whimper at the immediate jolt of pain. He began to tie his sash about her waist and cursed upon finding it too short to fit all the way around. The remnants of his shirt proved useless as it quickly stained red.

"Just hold it still, Sarah," Hoggle said while guiding her hand to the bandage. His attention fell on Bennelly. "Keep them away," the dwarf commanded as he hurried to the pole that supported the new banner. The goblin nodded and kept himself in front of Hoggle with the bow ready to strike anyone who interfered.

Hoggle reached the pole just off the platform. He leapt, nearly falling victim to an offending blade. Bennelly stepped forward and parried the attack off with his bow, the weapon cracking in the process. He kicked aside the guard and released an arrow into the enemy's side where the armor was weak. The guard coiled up and grasped the arrow. He yanked it out only to regret his decision when the blood cascaded from the gaping wound.

Hoggle grabbed the banner along with the rope used to fasten it to the pole. With keeping an eye on any other enemies, Bennelly struck whenever he saw an opening, the two made it back to the maiden. The dwarf wasted no time in folding the banner and placing it atop the previous dressing. Bennelly helped position Sarah so Hoggle could tightly secure the rope about the top, center, and bottom of the bandage.

Once treated Sarah leaned her head against the stone wall once more. She gazed at Hoggle, her eyes glazed. Both the dwarf and the goblin winced at her blanched face. Her breathing was labored. She appeared to be drifting out of consciousness.

Bennelly reached into his pocket and grabbed a vile of pink liquid. "Quick drink this, Lady Sarah, it will replenish your strength.

The human wasted no time downing the small bottle. She rested her fevered head against the wall as the medicine began its course through her body.

The two were distracted when a familiar goblin jumped through the air, slicing two opponents down with his sword. He landed in front of the three and gave one last look towards the carnage before turning back.

"We have trouble," Dalmon spoke.

"What kind of trouble?" Bennelly asked.

"The pixie army has made its way through the Labyrinth," Dalmon replied short of breath. "The last unit is fighting their hardest to keep them from reaching the castle."

"Do they have a chance?" Hoggle asked.

Bennelly shook his head. "Without the king's magic to guard the Labyrinth, none of us are safe."

Sarah inhaled sharply. The pain in her abdomen had decreased significantly. With the help of the other three she was lifted to her feet. Sarah wobbled but then balanced herself. She reached for Jareth's sword only to remember it was on the other end of the throne room.

The brunette looked out to find the floor void of the innocents save for several who were slain. Ludo and Lex had taken down the majority of the possessed soldiers. Ludo smashed one's head, shattering the iron helmet. The goblin twirled before falling to his death. The giant gave a groan of remorse before turning his attention to the next enemy.

"Where are the women and children?" Sarah asked.

"Farren moved them to safety in the underground chamber," Bennelly answered, pointing his sword in the direction where yet another hidden door was located within the wall.

The yells from outside the castle's entrance caught the attention of all inside. Didymus and Andrea both stopped to glance in the direction of the approaching brigade.

Andrea turned to face Didymus and with a smirk boasted, "Your time is finished."

Didymus cut his sword through the air. "As long as I breathe you will not claim this throne."

Andrea's smile faded. "Then I will grant your wish."

She reached her uninjured arm out in the direction of the bloodstained floor and willed one of the fallen goblins' swords to her grasp. She brought the blade down on Didymus. The fox anticipated her move and dodged to the right. He jumped up and sliced her down her back. Andrea screamed as one of her wings was torn.

Sarah ran for the weapon. Hoggle, Bennelly, and Dalmon covered her from the few foes that dared an attack. Hoggle kicked one in the knee then slit his throat as he fell. The goblin was released from the spell and gurgled while he grasped at his bleeding wound.

The kingdom was under attack and she was the one to blame. With Jareth gripping onto what life he had left it was up to her to defend it in his absence.

The sword rested ten feet in front of her. The remaining six goblins moved forward. The three males took on the first five leaving the largest one waiting his turn. The towering goblin stepped in front of the girl. Sarah gasped and retreated out of defense. She stared into his dead eyes. She wondered if inside he was pleading for her to end his life to end his involuntary treason. Her eyes fell upon the coveted weapon once more. She rolled towards the object only to be hoisted off the ground by her leg. He tossed her and she landed hard on her back. Sarah inhaled deep, begging the oxygen to reach her lungs quickly. She repeated the action twice more until her body found itself able to breathe normally again. She picked herself off the floor just in time to be thrown back by the wooden club.

A goblin child watched from the corner where his family hid. Farren had not seen them when escorting the rest to safety. His gaze drifted from Sarah to the sword. The boy looked back at his mother who held his two weeping sisters to her chest. In a split second he dashed for the king's blade. The mother hoarsely cried out for his return, words that went unheard by the child.

His small hands clasped around the hilt and with what strength he had, he tossed the sword towards the girl. The weapon clanged against the marble floor catching the ears of both Sarah and the possessed goblin. They both started after the prize. Sarah grabbed it a full two seconds before he approached. In that time she allowed her adrenaline and heart to guide her. The blade severed all but a quarter of the goblin's head. He fell backwards, the head dangling to the side.

Sarah stood hunched over as she gasped for breath. The medication gave her the boost she needed. She pulled the sword close to her just as the doors smashed in. Her eyes widened at the sight of hundreds of pixies, male and female scurrying into the castle.

Before anyone could say a word an arrow shot through the air, impaling the goblin child through the chest. He screamed as he was knocked to the floor.

Tears pricked at the corner of Sarah's eyes. Her saddened countenance switched to a glower. The potion mixed with her emotions amplifying her strength tenfold. With a howl she moved forward, slaying each of the pixies who dared to step in her way. The bitter tears fell while the image of that boy falling to his death replayed behind her eyes. Splashes of scarlet soaked her face and clothing.

Each enemy's face was replaced with Andrea's smirking one. Every memory from the moment she first stepped into the Goblin Kingdom surfaced. Each swing of the blade was powered by one of said memories. The sword stabbed through the chest of an approaching pixie to pay for the injuries Ludo and Didymus obtained fighting Ridder's army. The trouble they faced with Delilah gave as inspiration for the next three kills. The image of Hoggle battered in the dungeon motivated the death of one of the pixie's sergeant.

The pixie Captain Michael stepped forward and grinned at the human. In his hand he held a silver staff. Sarah's glare met his evil smile. This one would die to pay for every second of pain her dear goblin king had to endure.

"We owe this to you, Lady Sarah," he said with a mock bow. "We've been trying to get through for decades. Now thanks to you for lowering its only defense, we can claim control." He laughed and gave her a sickening toothy smile.

"Had I known I never would've helped her," Sarah snarled.

"But the fact remains you did," the captain laughed, his shoulders bobbing with each vibration. "It's a shame I'll have to kill you." Michael turned the staff to face the girl. "If you get on your knees and beg I'll let you alone live."

"Kill me a thousand times and I'll never beg to you," Sarah snapped.

"If that's what you want," Michael replied.

He twirled the staff and with a quick incantation the tip glowed a bright blue. An invisible force sent Sarah flying across the room. She landed on top of a pixie causing him to impale himself on his sword. Sarah stood just for Michael to come dashing her way. He smacked her in the face with the body of the staff then allowed a second spell to plant her against the wall. A series of chains encircled her body. Sarah struggled which only caused the restraints to tighten.

Michael hovered before her, his wings flapping at a slow, steady pace. He pressed the tip of the staff into her cheek. Sarah moved her head, causing the sharp edge to cut her face.

"I'll give you one last chance," Michael stated. He flew back a few feet. "Surrender to me and I'll let you live."

Sarah's face showed many levels of agony. With a fierce glare she shook her head.

His smile faded. "I hate women with courage," he snapped. With the weapon pressed against her chest he said, "One word and I can kill you painfully and no goblin magic can heal you." He pulled the staff back and smirked. "No, I have a better idea."

Sarah watched as he turned to face Andrea who was still in the midst of battle with Didymus. He witnessed the small goblin take on both her and two other high-ranking pixies. That one would make a good addition to his unit.

"If—if you're going to kill me, why don't you just do it?" Sarah questioned as she continued to writhe within the bonds.

He flashed her that same smile. "It's only a matter of time before Xyron presents the queen with your precious king's heart."

"Xyron, but he's…" Sarah gasped when she saw the malice twinkling in Michael's eyes. She struggled harder causing her captor to laugh heartily.

* * *

Felisse cupped her hands around Jareth's. He was sleeping as peacefully as he could. One look at his chest and it was evident there was only a limited time until his eyes would never again open.

"Still clear," Xyron said as he stepped back inside the room.

Felisse gave a curt nod then continued her guarding of Jareth. For the last half hour she watched his chest rise and fall and as long as that motion continued she could breathe easily.

Xyron watched the small pixie. All her tools rested on the table beside the bed, not two feet from Jareth's head. Early she had shown her agility, but it was her only defense. His gaze switched to the king's blackened chest. It was only a matter of time before that heart finally surrendered. All goblins knew that when they died their hearts turned to stone and the hearts of those who possessed high levels of magic could be used by future sorcerers to magnify their own abilities.

Xyron reached into his coat to reveal the box Ridder had given him that morning before Vane's hanging. It was pine with purple velvet lining the inside. His instructions were clear: if something happened that caused Andrea or himself not to be present to take Jareth's heart themselves, he was to force his way into Jareth's room as he neared death and retrieve the king's heart in their stead. Ridder had not intended on losing his life that morning, but now that he was gone, Xyron was to fulfill his task. It took a long time to gain his fellow goblins' trust, but all that work had finally paid off. He would present the box to Andrea as a peace offering and in return she would grant him lordship over a portion of the kingdom. He squeezed the box imagining the honor and riches that would soon be his.

Felisse turned her head to see Xyron daydreaming with a creepy smile on his face. It was then she noticed the object in her comrade's hand.

"What's in the box?" she asked.

Xyron looked up. He gave her a smile. "I was going to collect the pieces of the amulet and see if any of the local magicians could fix it."

Felisse gave him a look of suspicion. As far as she knew no one told him about the significance of the amulet and he seemed too cheery considering the current conditions. The female swiftly grabbed the scalpel off the table and held it close to her body.

"They'll have to hurry," Felisse stated. "But I don't think any of them knew the spell Brenna used to slow the poison. It'll have to be strong enough to counter the damage that already occurred."

Xyron waited for Felisse to turn her attention back to Jareth. She breathed slowly, her heart pounding with each step he took.

Xyron stepped up behind her causing her to nearly scream. He placed a hand on her shoulder then leaned over to take a better look at the monarch. "He looks pretty bad." His gaze switched over to her. "Perhaps you should venture to the infirmary and grab stronger medicine."

Felisse shook his hand off. "We don't have anything stronger to combat this," she answered as calmly as she could. "Otherwise I would've sent you after it earlier."

The male goblin's lips twitched. He gave her another smile then said, "You've been watching him closely all this time. It's gotta be painful for you." She stepped back as he reached for her face. Xyron brought his hand towards himself. "Why don't you take a break and I'll look after him."

"No!" cried Felisse. She calmed herself then added, "I n—need you to watch the—the door."

"The king's dying, no one will be coming," Xyron stated as he advanced towards the woman.

"Stay away from him!" she shouted pointing the scalpel at Xyron.

Xyron slapped the weapon out of her hand then grabbed her by the hair. He stared into her eyes and snarled, "I could kill you right now, you worthless pig." He threw her to the ground and with the knife in hand turned towards the king. He gave her one last look and said with disgust, "I didn't want to hurt you, but you'll be next."

The goblin stepped onto the stool Felisse had been sitting on. He raised the knife above Jareth's heart and readied for the incision. Felisse rushed over to the table and grabbed a bottle of antiseptic. Before Xyron could speak she splashed the liquid in his face. He screamed as the liquid burned his eyes and toppled off the stool. Through bloodshot eyes he watched the woman grab her trusty scalpel.

"You just made the worst mistake of your life!" he shouted as he clutched the knife and began to chase after her.

Felisse ran through the hall. She stopped at the hole that once hid the staircase. She climbed inside, hearing Xyron's boots pursuing close behind. She screamed as he grabbed hold of her foot. Felisse yanked herself free and kicked him in the face with her other foot. She fell inside the wall and ran to the second step. Xyron climbed over the makeshift door and stood glowering at the female, weapon ready to slice her to shreds.

"How could you betray your friends and your kingdom?" Felisse asked.

"This kingdom never did anything for me," Xyron answered. "But soon I'll rule those who shunned me."

"All you'll rule is the plot of dirt piled on top of you," Felisse retorted.

Xyron growled and lunged for the girl. Felisse waited until he was almost on her then leapt out of the way, putting her foot in his path. He tripped over the obstacle and fell face first down the steps. His chin skidded along, bumping each stair, and shattering his bottom row of teeth. He arched his back to try and stop himself only to collide with another step which snapped his neck. He fell limp on the eighth step with his neck bent at an unnatural angle.

Felisse ran down after him. She stopped and waited for any movement but none came. She knelt down and felt his neck for a pulse. She sighed then stood not entirely upset that someone she once called friend now lie dead.

There was no time for mourning. Felisse hurried up the stairs, mentally chastising herself for leaving the king unattended. She reached the room and upon inspection realized that Xyron had been correct, no one was coming. She resumed her spot at the head of his bed to monitor any changes, be they for better or worse. All that was left for her to do was pray that someone find some kind of remedy.

* * *

"He's not coming," Sarah taunted. "He wouldn't betray the king." She inhaled then spat, "And if he did, his loyal subjects wouldn't let her have his heart. I stopped Ridder and they'll stop you."

"Ridder was an idiot," said Michael. "He let himself be fooled by the queen. I never made that mistake."

Sarah smirked. "Oh, I don't think so."

"Watch it," Michael threatened, pointing the staff at the girl.

Sarah laughed. The pixie's eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. Sarah looked up at him and laughed harder, ignoring the protests from her body.

"Face it, that's why you haven't killed me," Sarah said. She laughed again then said, "She wants the pleasure of killing me herself and because you're smitten with her you want to give her what she wants." Her eyes met with his. "Admit it."

Michael backhanded Sarah in the face. The motion stunned the girl, but after she shock wore off she resumed laughing.

"No one laughs at me!" Michael snapped.

That only caused the human to guffaw harder. It was only when a familiar scream filled the room that she finally stopped.

They both looked up to see Didymus falling to the ground next to the pile of slain pixies. He gripped at his injured leg which was bleeding. The stitches had been severed and the wound reopened. Sarah struggled.

"Let me go!" she shouted at Michael.

"Looks like you have a soft spot too," Michael taunted. "I think I'll enjoy watching him die."

"No!" cried Sarah. She squirmed, causing the chains to slice her skin. The pain meant nothing if it allowed for her freedom. Her friend needed her.

Michael's laughter echoed. She seethed listening to that noise. Nothing would please her more than to break his throat.

Hoggle tackled Michael to the ground. The pixie jumped up and leapt into the air, his wings allowing him to hover once more. He glared down at the dwarf who stood with Andrea's dagger, ready for the next battle.

"You're a coward taking on an unarmed woman," Hoggle stated. His eyes displayed true hatred.

He stepped back then attacked only to have his blow blocked by the staff. Sparks flew then Michael twirled, hitting Hoggle in the face with the staff. Blood sprinkled out of his nostrils. The dwarf ignored the pain and charged into action again. Michael laughed and jumped out of the way. The staff smacked Hoggle directly in the spine. He fell to the ground, cringing at the sharp pains speeding through his body. Michael twirled the weapon in his hand then struck Hoggle on the back once more.

Bennelly aimed his bow and shot directly into Michael's wing. He fell forward on top of Hoggle. The pixie stood enraged and turned to the one who caused him to lose his flight. Sure he could conjure up a spell to fix it, but he still needed his energy for the fight. Bennelly grabbed another arrow from his quiver. He shot that one in Michael's arm. The pixie snapped the arrow in half, leaving the other embedded in his flesh for the time being. Bennelly reached back to grab the arrow that would finish the job. He gasped upon finding his quiver empty.

Michael laughed then charged forward. He rammed the pointed end of his staff into Bennelly's heart. The goblin fell backwards where the darkness surrounded him. Sarah watched in tears as her newest friend took his last breath.

Michael turned around to find Ludo and Hoggle having released Sarah of half of the chains. The pixie aimed his staff at the dwarf and sent an energy wave knocking him into the nearest pillar. Sarah winced at the sound of shoulder bones crunching.

Ludo stepped in front of Sarah and grabbed the sorcerer's staff. He cracked it over his knee then threw the three pieces against the wall while the splinters fell to the floor. Michael stared wide-eyed at what remained of his only defense. Ludo growled, causing the castle to shake. Now that the innocent goblins were in a safer part of the building he saw no reason to keep the throne room intact.

"You don't know what you're doing," Michael cried with his hands held in a pleading manner. He looked at Sarah. "He brings this castle down and we all die." He gave the best smile he could despite the fear in his heart. "You don't want that, do you, Lady Sarah?"

"Do it," Sarah retorted. Ludo looked over at her. Sarah gave him a soft smile then added, "Andrea's forces can't go on."

Ludo opened his mouth to call upon the stones in the structure. He groaned causing the pillar nearest the strongest pixies to collapse. One of his comrades was among the casualties but Ludo saw the goblin smile before the rubble crushed his foot. He could bear the screams of agony with the knowledge that at least he would live.

Didymus was thrown to the ground. Four stab wounds bled at once taking a toll on the fox's strength. Still he held his sword in his grip as he did his first day in the service. His life was worth the price of his kingdom. He had served before Jareth took the throne and found no better death than one where he proudly held his sword in his hand.

Ludo readied for the final call when the sound of falcon's cry echoed in the high castle walls. They looked up to see the bird flying overhead. He perched atop the highest hanging banner then screeched.

Andrea smirked at the sight of the bird then returned her attention to her prey. She readied to stab the great swordsman the fifth and final time. She would watch in glee while his blue fur slowly dyed itself red. Didymus held his head high. The smile glued to his face was the only reason Andrea could not fully enjoy her kill; he would not give her the luxury of hearing him beg.

Following the falcon was an army of birds being led by a barn owl. Pixies and goblins glanced up. The goblins cheered when the falcon led the swarm of birds to the action below. One by one they took on their goblin forms. Ran hurried over to Lex who gave him a smile. Ran snatched the lance at his belt and joined his friend in battle.

The barn owl transformed into a tall and slender goblin with platinum blond hair that ended just above his shoulders, but was styled similar to Jareth's. He had blue eyes that matched Jareth's blue one. Though he appeared to be several years younger than the goblin king.

Andrea straightened her posture and her eyes fixed on the majestic figure standing at the castle's entrance. He held out his hand and released a crystal which collided with Sarah's body. The girl cried out then noticed the chains slumping and fell to the ground. She too stumbled only to be caught by Ludo.

The goblin formed a crystal then tossed in like a baseball pitch to the throne. It exploded on contact sending arrows into the bodies of the surrounding pixies minus Andrea who summoned a forcefield just in time.

"Who is that?" Sarah asked.

"Prince Horace, Jareth's brother," Hoggle answered. He gingerly stood, wincing at the sharp aches in his back.

Horace stepped forward causing all those who opposed him to tremble. It was a known fact that his magic was second only to Jareth's.

The goblin prince glared at the pixies. "All of you who value your lives will leave now," his authoritative tone left no room for argument. Numerous pixies vacated the castle, stumbling over one another, and even trampling some of their own.

"You have no right to be here," Andrea yelled. "This kingdom is mine." She made a mental note to torture with fire all those who fled.

Horace glanced over at Lex and beckoned him over. The goblin obediently rushed to his majesty's side. "What does the royal document say about the kingdom should King Jareth meet with his demise?"

"The kingdom will go to the next in line," Lex recited. "If the king has no heir [which he currently does not] then the next of kin will reign. That being Prince Horace."

The goblin prince's eyes narrowed. "I won't spare you," he proclaimed making his way towards the pixie witch. "Your assassination of my brother requires your head, but if you surrender your death will be quick."

Andrea replied by casting a fire spell. A ring of fire surrounded Lex and Horace. The remaining pixies entered the ring to take down the two enemies. Lex found himself at a disadvantage. The flames were not the normal ones he worked around on a daily basis. One touch of those flames and the victim's skin would literally melt off their bones. Horace had encountered a similar spell before, giving him a good reason to conserve his magic. One wrong spell and it would backfire, frying both Lex and himself. The pixies were immune to the spell, giving them full reign to fight. The weapons hacked at the two heroes, but through it all they refused to give up, looking for any weak point.

Sarah picked up the sword and ran for Andrea, Hoggle in tow. The witch saw her approaching and cast a spell to knock her into the wall. Sarah immediately stood and readied herself for another attack. Andrea turned to face Sarah causing the fire spell to weaken. The pixie watched as several of her men fell to their deaths at the prince's hand. She growled then swung her sword at Sarah. The girl ducked then kicked her in the shin. Andrea fell down releasing her previous spell.

Lex and Horace wasted no time. They gathered their strength and speed to take down the surprised pixies. There was no time for the warriors to escape. Lex proved once again why he was the king's ultimate body guard. Horace produced spell after spell. In no time they made their way through the line of foes.

Andrea glared at her mistake and sent her sword towards Sarah. Hoggle leapt at the pixie, pinning her to the ground. She screamed in anger then punched the dwarf in the face. He landed on his back. Andrea turned to face down Hoggle, his blood would pay for his folly.

Andrea's wings twitched at the approaching danger. She turned too late as Sarah sent Jareth's sword through Andrea's chest. She dug it in further watching as Andrea flailed and gasped for breath. She coughed and spittle mixed with blood dripped onto her dress. The crown fell off her head, bouncing twice on the platform before rolling to a stop. Sarah kicked the body off the blade watching the crimson splash on the marble tiles.

Andrea fell and reached for Hoggle who lay beside her. Her fingers twitched and she weakly called his name.

Hoggle looked down at Andrea. She smiled sweetly at him and said, "P—please Hog—ggle, please help me." Her hand grasped his. "I know you love me. G—give me a…a potion."

Hoggle yanked his hand from hers. "I won't be fooled by your trickery again." With that he stood, still slightly hunched over. Felisse would have to help correct his spine when he went to her for treatment later. The dwarf blushed at the thought of the pretty nurse.

Andrea's hand went limp and her eyes closed, her face tilted to the side. Her lungs no longer welcomed oxygen and the wound bled out at a steady rate.

"Hoggle, are you alright?" Sarah asked.

Hoggle nodded. "I'll be fine. Are you?"

Sarah wiped her face. "I've been better." She glanced over at Didymus who was still trying to hide his injuries and attempting to stand. She grabbed the goblin and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you. I would've been toast if you hadn't saved me."

"Anytime, m'lady," Didymus cheered.

Horace ascended the steps. His eyes met with the Sarah's. "I offer you my gratitude; the kingdom is in debt to you." He bowed his head to the three. Ludo and Lex ran up to the others.

"Jareth!" Sarah cried. She took hold of Horace's hand who helped her to her feet. Her pleading eyes met with his. "He's upstairs. I have to see—"

"He's still alive?" Horace asked.

"He was when I left him," Sarah replied. "Felisse and Xy…Felisse is looking after him." A part of her hoped that Michael was lying when he mentioned that Xyron had switched teams.

Instead of a verbal reply Horace produced a crystal which teleported them to the hallway that led to Jareth's bedroom. They walked along the rubble until they reached the room. Andrea's spell on the door had vanished with her life. Horace opened the door to reveal a weeping Felisse.

Her head rested upon Jareth's arm and she sobbed into the fabric. Hoggle rushed over to her side. Felisse jumped at the sudden touch then calmed at the sight of the familiar face. She jumped from the stool and buried her face in Hoggle's chest. He embraced her tightly while she continued to cry.

"What happened?" Lex asked.

Horace knelt down beside his brother's bed. He placed one hand on top of Jareth's forehead and the other on his frigid chest. He lowered his head and sadly sighed.

"The king is dead," Felisse sobbed.

* * *

Thus ends chapter 14. They won the war, but it still ended on a sad note. I hope y'all aren't too mad at me for killing off Jareth. There's still one more chapter to go.

Ending Notes:

1) The potion that Bennelly gave Sarah not only restored her strength, but it also has a side effect that causes strength to increase tenfold when angered. Basically it's a good item to have.

2) Horace is an OC who debuted in my story A Voice So Sweet. He is supposed to be the guy in the creepy skull mask in the ballroom scene in the movie. He's Jareth's younger brother who reigns as a lord in a section of the Goblin Kingdom.

3) The whole fight with Michael was not intended in the original draft, but he sort of just happened while I wrote that section tonight. In all, I think he added some excitement.

I hope you all enjoyed chapter fourteen. Until next time!


	15. The Sacrifice

At long last we have reached the last chapter. It was supposed to be updated on Thursday/Friday, but I've been without internet for the past couple of days. :(

Thank you Find Your North Star for your review on the last chapter.

I don't own Labyrinth or Return to Labyrinth.

* * *

Sarah's eyes immediately fell on Jareth. He looked like a porcelain doll, much like the one displayed in her bedroom. Those enchanting eyes would never look her over again. Those sweet lips would never sing another melody. That smile that used to repulse her had been replaced with one of eternal indifference.

The man had trusted her and lowered his guard. Surely there was no reason for her to pose any threat to him. They were no longer opponents. He was merely the ruler of a kingdom who depended on his decision in order to function.

Sarah clenched her fist. That pixie had stolen Jareth from the kingdom. No…she was the one responsible for his demise.

Sarah's breathing stopped and she collapsed in Ludo's arms. The yeti looked over at the others for help.

"Felisse, assist that woman," Horace commanded.

"I don't know how to treat humans," the goblin replied. "But I can try." She pushed a curl behind her ear and followed Ludo who placed Sarah on the bed next to the king's corpse.

"She's lost a lot of blood," Hoggle cried panicked. "I tried my best to stop it."

"You did well, valiant lad," Didymus said and placed a furry paw on his comrade's shoulder.

Felisse used her scalpel to cut through the makeshift bandage. She sighed in relief at the healing flesh.

"The potion has helped tremendously," Felisse revealed to the others. She placed a hand on the girl's forehead. "No fever."

Felisse grabbed Sarah's arm and cut her wrist enough to draw blood. Lex handed her a vial which she filled with Sarah's blood. She reached into her bag and slowly poured blue liquid in with the blood. She stirred it with a thin rod. The smile caused the others to visibly sigh.

"No infection," Felisse announced. She turned back to her patient. "She's just exhausted. With enough rest she will be back to normal."

Hoggle stared down at the floor. He seethed at the image of the woman responsible for Sarah's condition. Deeper within he wanted to bash himself in the face until it was disfigured beyond repair.

He looked up to see Felisse dressing the newly acquired wound on Sarah's wrist.

"Please, can we take her somewhere else?" Hoggle asked.

Horace glanced over at the two sleeping on the same bed. His brother's flamboyant taste did suit her, but he understood the dwarf's request.

Horace nodded. "Very well, we shall transport her to another room."

"She's staying in one on the second floor," Lex mentioned.

The prince nodded and looked over at Ludo. "Will you be able to carry her?"

Ludo nodded sharply despite the aching within his body. The physicians would have to look him over after he completed his task.

Ludo gently picked the sleeping human from the bed, careful not to rustle the king. He held her close to his body and watched her slow breathing. The various cuts and bruises that decorated her face did not belong there. He ran a finger over her swollen cheek causing her to slightly stir, but not wake. Ludo tightened his hold on her and began his descent of the stairs.

Hoggle glanced back over at the king. His gaze fixed on Felisse who covered his body with a sheet. Horace turned and caught a falling tear on his finger. The guilt stung Hoggle like a thousand swords.

Hoggle opened his mouth to speak, but he could not find the right words to say to the new ruler of their land. If anything he deserved to be hanged out in the courtyard.

"I'm sorry, your majesty," Hoggle said at last before limping away.

"Hoggle, you can't go!" called Felisse. He turned to see the frowning goblin staring back at him. She reached for the other and pulled him into a chair. "Please, let me tend to that leg before you worsen it." He sighed as he could never refuse that pouting face.

"You shouldn't help me," Hoggle mumbled.

Felisse looked up from her position on the floor. Her stern eyes met with his sorrowful ones. "Now you listen to me, Andrea is the only one to blame. She lied and tricked many good men into doing horrific acts." The goblin's expression softened. "Her blood paid the price for the king's."

Horace stepped over to the two. Both looked up at him simultaneously.

"Is there anything you can do? Any medication you haven't tried? Magic, perhaps?" Horace begged.

Felisse looked down and shook her head. "I'm sorry, your majesty. I know no magic. There are none here alive who studied under Brenna."

"Brenna," Horace repeated.

The image of that goblin's smiling, wrinkled face surfaced. She had acted as the doctor to the royal family for centuries. She was the one who figured out how to stall the poison that had just claimed Jareth's life. She took on several apprentices, but very few had the ambition and talent to master her techniques. The last died on the battlefield during the rebellion.

A thought struck the prince. He gasped and diverted his gaze from the others. "Perhaps not," he said to no one in particular. He stepped away despite the fact that he held attention from everyone in the room. He placed his finger and thumb under his chin and thought hard. With a shake of his head he said, "I can't, it's too risky." He glanced over at his brother. "He wouldn't want it."

"Do you know someone, my lord?" Didymus asked. Felisse winced at the goblin's ankle that bent at an unnatural angle.

Horace turned to face the others. "There is only one who knows that kind of magic. But it would be dangerous to ask for her assistance." He paused then added, "But it's the only hope." One look over the pallid corpse and his decision was clear. Horace returned his gaze to the loyal servant. "Summon Ran at once."

* * *

Ludo sat in a chair beside Sarah's bed. It calmed him to see her chest rise and fall without much trouble. The medicine Felisse sent to Ludo after their departure had finally started to kick in. The bruises and lacerations were slowly receding.

Sounds from below and outside echoed through the walls and entered the room. Ludo had already drawn the curtains and shut the door, but the yelling and clanging of items still filtered through.

Those who survived without injuries were likely assigned to cleanup. The first order of business would be to salvage through the dead bodies in search of ones still hanging on. Several of his friends had lost their life in battle and countless others, soldier and civilian alike, were injured. The medical wing would have their hands full for the next few days. Ludo was grateful that he had suffered only minor injuries.

He glanced over at the sleeping brunette. A deep sorrow moved from within. He had almost lost her and Hoggle several hours ago. Behind his eyes he could still see Andrea with a knife to the human's throat, an image that would haunt his nightmares for the next few decades, if not longer. Didmyus liked to reminisce out loud to his friends about his days in the army, but when it came to how he dealt with the casualties of those close to him, he preferred not to speak. Ludo now understood why.

He leaned back against the large chair. No one had come for him yet, so he would continue to act as Sarah's guard until she either woke, or someone came to relieve him.

* * *

Sarah woke with a start. She sat up and winced at the aching in her midsection. Sarah's fingers traced the sore area where a scar had scabbed. She let out a sigh of relief and kicked her legs over the side of the bed. She ran a hand through her disheveled locks then set her eyes upon the creature who had guarded her overnight.

Ludo lightly snored with his head to the side. Sarah frowned at the blood matted in his hair. She jumped up at the thought of her other friends—Hoggle in particular. She stood too fast and fell to the ground rousing Ludo from his slumber.

He rushed to her side and helped her to her feet. "Sarah wake," Ludo cheered.

Sarah replied by wrapping her arms around the giant. He hugged her back with a huge smile on his face before hoisting her to her feet. Sarah's finger traced several cuts in the yeti's arms.

"You shouldn't have gotten hurt," Sarah said lowly.

"Ludo protect friends," he replied.

Again Sarah cuddled in his warm embrace. "I don't deserve friends like you." Her mind switched to the thoughts of Hoggle and Didymus, both who suffered more severe injuries on her behalf. Then finally she thought of the king—the one who fared the worst. He had tried to protect her in exchange to be betrayed by the woman he had hoped to never see again. Too much blood had been shed because of her interference.

Ludo pulled away then called for servant who rushed to Sarah's aid. She ushered the human to what appeared to be an ancient bathroom. Sarah was undressed and with warm water the servant washed away the blood and dirt that clung to her body, careful of the sensitive flesh. She was draped in a white linen dress and had her hair dunked into the basin for a thorough scrubbing. The water was lukewarm compared to the fresh liquid that was used to clean her wounds.

Sarah's eyes focused on the goblin who dared not to speak to the girl. Had she discovered what she had done to her king? No, the entirety of the kingdom viewed her as a hero. She would be considered a great legend for centuries while those who knew of her betrayal to Jareth had died, or were also somewhat guilty of the same offenses.

After the washing Sarah was dressed in a red muslin gown with a silver sash that tied about her waist, in which the edges hung down to her knees. Sarah winced at the sudden stinging when the fabric rubbed the laceration. The servant promptly apologized then immediately began brushing the girl's hair. Sarah held in the hisses when tangles were pulled by the archaic hairbrush.

Sarah looked into the mirror when the goblin had finished. She deserved not to be dressed in fine material while their king was laid in the ground. Did anyone expect her to be present during the ceremony? It would be too painful to view, but something she deserved.

"Why are you tending to me?" Sarah finally asked.

The goblin looked up at the human then immediately averted her gaze. "We have important guests arriving in an hour," she answered, keeping her eyes away from the girl. "The king wanted you present."

Sarah's eyes lit up for second before she realized who the servant spoke of. Her smile faded along with any hopes.

"If that's what he wants," Sarah said sadly.

The two stood in silence for the duration of the dressing. The serving woman's fingers worked fast to make sure everything was perfect before sending the girl to meet with the new king.

Outside the room Sarah met with her friends. Didymus had his leg in a cast and required the use of a crutch, to which he was not thrilled about. Ludo no longer showed any signs of injuries. Next to him stood Hoggle with several dressings on his person. Every once in a while he showed signs of pain when walking, but Felisse offered herself as an aid. Hoggle's elbow clamped tight around Felisse's.

Didymus was the first to notice her presence.

"You look beautiful, m'lady," Didymus said with a slight bow of his head.

Sarah smiled. "Thank you." She looked over the others, all who wore a triumphant smile.

The greetings were cut short as the commotion downstairs caught their attention. Ludo led the party to the bottom floor, while Sarah stayed towards the back. They joined the others who awaited their esteemed guest. Sarah took her place beside Horace who wore a look of disdain.

"Princ—King Horace," Sarah said. "You wished for my presence?"

Horace nodded. "I do," Horace replied not making eye contact with the girl. "And don't fret over my title, it's one I was never meant to hold."

Sarah wished to question his meaning, but knew not how to go about it without bringing up the painful reason why he inherited the kingdom. Though she knew she deserved it, she feared what would happen to her friends if the new king discovered her part in his brother's demise.

"You cared for my brother, didn't you?" Horace asked. His blue eyes landed on her. His stare was colder than Jareth's despite its lack of mischief.

Sarah looked down. "I do," she replied. "I was foolish not to notice earlier." Her sorrow filled eyes stared into his. "You understand our history, then you know why I was hesitant to trust him."

Horace nodded. "You were the first to ever win against him, and it has earned you quite the name in the Underground." He grunted and turned his attention to the doors. "However, I think it important that you know he never bore any hatred against you for it." Horace shook his head. "My brother was a strange one, but he only ever hated two people. The first being our uncle."

Sarah nodded in reply as she recalled Jareth's tale during the war when he claimed the kingdom from the very man they spoke of. "I can understand why." She looked over at the man who would not return her gaze. "And the other?"

Horace glared at the door. "She's the only one who can save his life."

The doors opened to reveal a three-foot creature with pointed ears and silver hair. His golden eyes stared into Horace's and his lips curved into a smirk.

"Your majesty," he said in a mocking tone. "I present to you my queen."

Horace stepped forward. "I welcome her to my kingdom."

Several maids entered wearing long gowns of green and purple silk. The female goblins standing about stared in envy at the cloth that was not available in their own kingdom. Behind them entered a woman about Sarah's height. She walked in a graceful manner with her head held high. She was dressed in royal blue with her pale blue hair cascading down her back. The crown sat atop her head with a flowing sky blue veil. Sarah shivered at her mere presence.

"What is she doing here?" Didymus snapped.

"Quiet," hissed Horace. He turned to face the woman without a smile. "I bid you welcome, your grace."

The woman met his frown with a smug grin. "Your face betrays your words, _King_ Horace." The way she spoke his title dripped mockery.

"I would never have taken Jareth's title of my own free will," Horace replied. "But this is not about me."

The woman nodded. "You are correct." Her eyes fell on the goblin she kept chained behind her. "Forgive me for my precautions, but one cannot be too careful." Her smirk met Horace's cold stare once more. "Especially given our kingdoms' history."

"I vow on my own life there is no trickery in that goblin's message," Horace said and knelt down before the woman. Several goblins gasped while others hissed and jeered. One tightened his hold on his spear. "Please release him."

"Then Jareth is dead?" she asked with a laugh. That action further aroused anger within the goblins.

"Who is she?" Sarah whispered to Didymus.

The fox goblin glared at the queen. "She is Mizumi, queen of Moraine." He exhaled angrily then added, "If she's here then that either means they wish to form an alliance, or a merger."

"Why wait until after the battle with the pixies?" Sarah asked.

"That's not why she's here," Hoggle said sadly. The others turned to their friend. "Felisse and I were there when Horace sent Ran off with the message."

Felisse nodded and held tighter to the dwarf. "She studied under Brenna."

Sarah gasped and turned to face the two monarchs. Mizumi held her head high and with every muscle of her face taunted the new king. Nonetheless she ordered for Ran to be released. The instant the shackles fell he rushed over to his king and glared up at the ice woman.

"You can save him?" Horace asked, his stare not faltering.

Mizumi tilted her head to the side and laughed. "I would have not traveled if I could not offer my services."

"Unless she wanted to laugh at the king's corpse," Didymus snarled as he stepped forward.

Mizumi's smile fell when she looked upon the goblin. When memory struck she found her smile again. "Oh, yes, I remember you."

"Please forgive him," Horace interrupted. "He still grieves for my brother. As does most of my kingdom."

"Yes, it's a sad day when one of our kind meets their demise," Mizumi replied. She stepped ahead of Horace then glanced back at him. "Shall we proceed? He lays in the same room as fifty years ago, I presume?"

Horace's glare strengthened. "You would know your way to the king's bed."

Several of the more noble goblins attempted to stifle their laughter while the ones not bothered by manners cackled out loud. Sarah, however, found it difficult to meet that woman with kind words.

"I shall forgive your vulgar taunts and fulfill my purpose here," Mizumi stated. "But note I will not tolerate further harassment from you."

Horace approached her with that same glower. With a wave of his hand he beckoned Mizumi to follow. Several of the others, including Sarah, followed after. Hoggle accompanied Felisse who was asked to attend incase her assistance was needed.

They approached Jareth's quarters. Both magical beings glanced at the door which once held a powerful spell. The hole in the wall had yet to be fixed.

Sarah stepped through the threshold to be bombarded with recent bloody images. Her eyes fell on the spot that had served as Ridder's place of death. She wondered which of the goblins had been assigned the task of removing his lifeless body and where a traitor such as Ridder would be buried. In fact she pondered if the goblins even practiced burial rituals.

Her eyes then fell on the lifeless body of one who used to rule the kingdom. He had yet to decompose. Those same blond tresses fell over his face. His lips looked just as plump as the first day he appeared in her bedroom window with those poisonous words. A part of her wondered if she were to lay her lips upon his if they would feel as warm as they had the day before.

Mizumi leaned over Jareth's body. She stroked his hairs causing a pang of jealousy to arise in the human girl's heart.

"How sad what you've become," Mizumi said softly to Jareth. Her finger traced the outline of his lips. "I remember when you used to claim I was the one who would rule beside you forver."

"Enough!" growled Horace. "You promised to save him, now do it."

Mizumi glared at the goblin. "It's too delicate for haste." She turned back to Jareth. "Had you brought me in before his last moment I could've spared him from death. This is going to take longer."

"Do whatever you have to," Horace said softly. "Felisse here will assist you in any way possible."

Hoggle tightened his hold on Felisse's hand.

"That won't be necessary," Mizumi said with her eyes still on Jareth.

Sarah shifted and that was when Mizumi first noticed her. She looked the human up and down then smiled at the girl. With a wave of her finger she beckoned her over. Despite her better judgment Sarah complied.

"Can you save him?" Sarah asked.

"Don't doubt my powers," Mizumi replied. "I am more than what I seem." She smiled sweetly then added, "Just like you." She took hold of Sarah's hand. "I have wanted to meet you ever since I heard of your success against Jareth."

Sarah gently pulled her hand from the queen's grip. "I only ran the Labyrinth to save my brother."

"And because you won you have become a legend," Mizumi replied. "I heard you were beautiful, intelligent, and strong-willed, but I never knew how much until now."

Sarah could not determine if she meant that as a compliment. She unknowingly began putting some distance between herself and Mizumi.

"I thought you were Jareth's enemy," Sarah stated.

Mizumi shrugged. "In a way." She smiled then replied, "Monarchs, even those in an alliance, must always suspect the loyalties of all others. It's dangerous to get comfortable."

"Is that why you're helping him?" Sarah asked.

Mizumi's smile widened. "He will be indebted to me for a _very_ long time." She patted Sarah on the shoulder. "I can see why you defeated him." She turned with a laugh. In a colder tone she added, "Twice."

Sarah stepped forward. "What?"

She leaned close so only Sarah could hear. "The guilt in your eyes tells me that you are partially responsible for his condition."

Sarah looked away. After all there was no point in denying the truth. "I admit it all." Her gaze fell on Jareth. "I was tricked, but I reacted on emotions instead of finding out the truth."

"Sarah," Hoggle said reaching for her.

Sarah shook her head.

"No one blames you," Horace said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "As one who is not from our world you cannot be faulted because of deception." He gave her a weak smile. "Besides, you have redeemed yourself by ending Andrea."

It burned him alive to know that one of their greatest threats had dwelt inside the kingdom for years. He wanted to blame Jareth for not scouring the area, but it would be rude to speak for one who could not defend himself. Besides, there were few mistakes he had made as king, but that one blunder had cost him his very life and nearly his kingdom.

Mizumi smiled. "Something my kingdom is also grateful for." Her fingers curled around Sarah's other shoulder. "Unfortunately this magic cannot be done without some kind of great sacrifice."

"Don't you dare!" Hoggle shouted and charged towards Mizumi.

Lex and Horace grabbed him. He was pushed against the wall where his hands continued to reach for the neck of Moraine's queen.

Horace stepped forward. "She's not of our world," he stated. "If you need blood or a heart, you may use mine."

"Your majesty, that's not a good idea," Lex interrupted.

"No, it's my fault, and I will do whatever is necessary to revive him," Sarah offered.

"No, no you can't!" shouted Hoggle. He stepped forward and bowed before the assembly. "If there is anyone-anyone at all to blame it's me. I'm the one who trusted Andrea and the one who put everyone in danger." His eyes fell on Jareth. "How could I be such a big fool?"

The others stood speechless while Hoggle continued to weep for all who had to suffer because of his misjudgment. Too many times his closest friend nearly tasted death's blade.

"Fear not," Mizumi stated. She cupped her hand under Sarah's chin and forced the girl to look her in the eyes. "It's not your life I desire." A chill crept over Sarah's entire body. "It's your love for Jareth that will power the spell. The one who loves him the most must give him up entirely." Mizumi's hold tightened. "In order for me to save Jareth, you must vow that you will never step foot in the Underground again."

The words sliced Sarah deep. The man she had come to develop a bond with was so close to life then torn from her again. It was foolish for her to label what they had as romantic love, perhaps someday it would have grown into that, but she and Jareth were two similar souls who could have found intimate friendship in one another.

Still deep in her heart she knew there was only one true answer. It only took one last glimpse at his face.

"I agree to your terms," Sarah declared clamping her hand around Mizumi's. She ignored the frigid feel of that woman's palm. She pulled away and stared her in the eye. "But I want to see him one last time when he wakes."

"Fair enough," Mizumi stated. With those words she turned away from the girl and went to perform her spell on Jareth's lifeless body.

The others waited for the spell to end. Sarah clenched her fists tightly. At one point she selfishly wished for it not to succeed, but those thoughts were ultimately shoved aside. At least she would have that one last moment to spend in his embrace.

An hour later the chants ceased and all stood around the late goblin king. Two seconds passed with no changes. Felisse whimpered. Another five seconds passed without event. Sarah bit the inside of her cheek. Finally Jareth inhaled and his eyes opened. The stone heart had returned to its former state. With the assistance of Mizumi he was able to sit up.

Jareth's gaze immediately fell on Sarah. She found herself smiling with happy tears. Jareth leapt forward and pulled the girl into a tight embrace. Sarah sniffled and buried her face in his chest. Jareth leaned his head atop of hers. Despite the weak feeling within his body, he desired to never let go. Her very scent provided him with the strength required to stay awake. He would suffer a thousand nights of agony like the day before if rewarded with her at the end of each ordeal.

"All I could think of was you," Jareth said weakly.

"All I could think of was you," Sarah repeated in reply.

Jareth smiled and tightened his hold. His arms protested against such movement, but he ignored each pain. Sarah finally released him to allow the others to have their chance to greet the revived king.

Horace knelt before Jareth. No words were required as they tightly hugged.

"I'm too happy that you're alive," Horace whispered.

He pulled away when a thought struck him. "My kingdom. That girl."

"Relax, my king," Didymus said as he stepped forward with a bow. "Lady Sarah fought bravely alongside myself and various others. We'd die before letting the kingdom fall to an evil one."

"Yes, the kingdom is safe," Sarah replied. She wiped at her tears. "And so are you."

Jareth glanced down at his chest where the amulet used to rest. His fingers touched the harden tissue. It still retained its charred color.

"How?" he asked then stared Sarah in the face.

Her joyful tears were replaced with bitter ones. She wept and lowered her head. Several strands of hair concealed her face. "I had no other choice."

"I don't understand," Jareth said.

"Allow me to explain," Mizumi said as she stepped in front of the girl. She took Jareth's hand in hers.

"You?" he snarled and pulled his hand away. "You have no right to be here."

"Jareth, please," Horace said. Jareth looked up at his younger brother to see a look of sorrow plastered on his face. "She was the only way to save you."

Jareth returned his gaze to the smirking queen. "And I expect you to return the favor," she said while her grin grew.

Jareth turned to Sarah who could not bear to look at him. "I—I can no longer see you," she said.

"Of course you can," Jareth retorted. He reached for Sarah only to be intercepted by Mizumi.

"No, she can't," Mizumi stated. "In order for my magic to work, the one most responsible had to give up contact with the one who suffered because of her."

"I can never enter the Underground again," Sarah said. She finally gained the courage to look him in the eyes. "It was a fair price to see you one last time."

Jareth slumped. Ludo and Horace moved quickly to catch him before he faceplanted. Jareth leaned on the two as they steadied him into the chair. Horace ordered for Lex to bring Jareth something to eat while Hoggle handed him a glass of water. Jareth shakily accepted the cup, water splashing onto the floor. He brought it to his lips for most of the liquid to spill on his shirt.

"I don't want you to leave," Jareth said at last.

"I don't have a choice," Sarah cried. "If I did—believe me, if I did." Her glare fixed on Mizumi. "You better keep him alive for a very long time."

Mizumi smiled. "As long as I repeat the chant each night and give him a droplet of this elixir…" Mizumi showed her the medicine in a small vial. "He will continue to live."

Jareth shut his eyes tightly and cursed all who allowed such a fate to befall him. Mizumi wrapped her arm under his and leaned her face against his shoulder.

"I will make it my duty to treat you every day of our lives," she said sweetly.

Jareth cursed the very magic that allowed him a second chance at life. Mizumi's hold tightened. He sighed and looked down at his lap. Mizumi's finger twirled around a lock of Jareth's hair.

Sarah looked over to her friends. "This will be the last time I can ever come to your home," she said.

Hoggle replied, "We can still come to see you."

"It'll be just like before," added Didymus.

With a sad smile and a sniffle Sarah said one final farewell to Jareth. Another hug would only cause more pain for the two, the reason she decided against it.

She closed her eyes and within the next few seconds she stood alone in her bedroom. The clock read one in the morning. She sighed and sat down at her vanity table. She was again dressed in her normal clothes with none of the bruises or other injuries she suffered from battle. She lifted the hem of her shirt to see the scarred flesh had vanished.

Not wanting to wake her family Sarah decided to go straight to bed. Before turning out the lights she saw the figurine of the goblin king. Sarah took it in her hand. Jareth's face was much more appealing than the one on the porcelain figure. She hugged it close to her chest then tossed it inside a drawer where the memories could never haunt her.

She dressed for bed and slipped under the covers. With her head against the pillow she recalled her forever last memory of Jareth. His touch, scent, and taste would linger for a while then eventually fade into a vague memory. A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away when more tumbled down to replace the previous. Her tears and sobs lulled her to a dreamless sleep.

Her adventures in the Underground had ended.

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Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the final chapter.


	16. Epilogue: Loophole

So a lot of people wanted more, or thought the ending was too depressing. While it was intended from the beginning to end on a tragic note, I didn't care much for the way it ended either. Therefore I wrote an epilogue to tie up some loose ends and give it a more bittersweet taste.

I hope you all enjoy.

Thank you Labyrinth Addict, Atharina, Anonymous, Auctavia1228, and find your North Star for your reviews on chapter fifteen.

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Two years had passed since Sarah's last adventure in the Underground. She heard reports from her friends concerning Jareth's well-being. He was almost as healthy as the day before the battle with Andrea. There were several days he required rest, but by the next he was ready to return to his duties.

For a year Ludo, Didymus, and Hoggle visited her in her bedroom. When she moved into her own apartment several miles away they visited more often. One night Hoggle arrived in hand with Felisse. It was then he announced to all his friends that they were engaged to be married. Sarah hugged them both and offered her congratulations. Her smile then faded when she realized she would not be allowed to attend their wedding.

Hoggle tried to persuade Mizumi to release the conditions for that one day. Even with Jareth on his side Mizumi reminded them both that Sarah's sacrifice was needed to bring Jareth back to life. It was an action the goblin king regretted each day of his life. As much as he wanted to hate Sarah and Horace for making the decision for him, he understood their reasoning.

Without Sarah's presence the wedding commenced. From what she heard from the couple themselves as well as Didymus and Ludo the ceremony was simple but beautiful. The goblin king and prince themselves attended. Mizumi mentioned she had something to do, most likely a lie, but in all honesty they were glad she was not present. Hoggle even saved Sarah a slice of their wedding cake. The pastry was sweet, but it left a bitter taste in her mouth knowing she was absent from the most important day in her friend's life.

Six months after their nuptials Felisse realized she was with child. Sarah sent her and Hoggle home with gifts after one visit. Three days after the child's birth Hoggle and Felisse brought him into the Aboveground so the girl could see him. Sarah held the warm bundle in her arms. Kerrion was half the size of human infants and he had inherited Hoggle's eyes. Sarah immediately fell in love with the baby.

The human girl had a difficult time releasing her hold on the tiny child. Hoggle and Felisse promised her that she would have many more times to hold and spoil their offspring. Sadly after the birth of their second child their visits became rare. Within three years time she never again received a visit from Felisse. Between her job at the infirmary and raising two young ones she had no more time or strength for travel between worlds.

For a while Hoggle tried to make weekly visits, but he was needed more often in the Underground. It was painful to say goodbye to someone who had been a good friend to her for years, but she understood where he was needed.

A year after the pixies' invasion, a minor battle ensued between the Goblin Kingdom and a neighboring one. With Moraine's assistance the war was ended before it even had a chance to begin. Didymus was among the casualties. He lived with as many freedoms as before, but the second wound to his leg left him unfit for combat permanently. Didymus returned to his home at the bog forever honored as a war hero. He began writing a book on his life and his time in the service. It was painful to lose such a skilled and willing warrior, so Didymus was offered the opportunity as a general and second in command to the king. It would be a desk job that kept him away from actual battle, but his experience and leadership would benefit the kingdom. At first he declined it, but with much pressure from his friends he accepted. His new career left little time to visit with the human.

Ludo was the last of the group to continue visiting Sarah. Due to his heroics during the battle he was offered a job as a castle guard. Ludo was hesitant but Sarah urged him to accept the position. He agreed and it was the last time she saw him for a while.

Another year passed leaving Sarah at the age of twenty-three. She finished college with her degree in elementary education. She had an interview the following day for a school only a few miles down from her apartment. With the extra money she hoped to buy a house and perhaps start looking for a boyfriend. Her father and stepmother had been teasing her lately about wanting a grandchild.

It was that night that a former friend approached her.

She sat in the living room with her folder in her lap that contained her resume, references, and possible questions she would be asked. She smiled in front of a mirror which she pretended was the hiring manager. She read through the questions and while watching her reflection gave the best responses.

Suddenly she heard a tapping at her window. Sarah jumped and when she caught her bearings she sat the folder down by her side. She walked over to the window to see a familiar barn owl perched on the window. Against her better judgment she lifted the window and allowed the bird entrance to her home. Her eyes followed its fluttering form and stared in awe as it formed into that same figure she remembered from years ago.

The goblin king had changed little in terms of appearance. His eyes no longer held that mischievous twinkle it used to. His skin appeared paler than what she remembered, but he still walked with the same grace.

"I've missed you," Jareth said at last.

Sarah swallowed then replied, "You shouldn't be here."

Jareth nodded. "I know, but I wanted to see you again."

"But won't it kill you?" Sarah asked.

Jareth shook his head with a sly smile he added, "Mizumi's spell barred you from entering the Underground, but nowhere did it say I couldn't come here."

Sarah smiled. Without any knowledge of what she was doing she wrapped her arms around his slender frame. He felt as if he had lost weight in the past five years. Jareth patted her hair with one hand and circled the other around her back. Sarah leaned further into the embrace.

With her eyes closed she whispered, "So many nights I waited for you to return. But you never did."

Jareth tightened his hold on her. "Trust me, if I could I would've came." They parted and he looked her in the eyes. "Not a night has passed that I haven't thought about you."

Sarah encircled her fingers around his. So many nights she wished she could forget him if just to rid herself of the memories of one she could have loved.

"I wish you could stay," Sarah stated more to herself than him.

Jareth sighed. "The feeling is mutual, but you know I have no power over that."

Sarah sighed and sat down on the couch. Jareth followed and took a seat right beside her.

"If it makes you feel better," he began. Sarah looked up at him. "I think Mizumi used it as an excuse to get you out of the way." Sarah sat up straight and parted her lips while several thoughts struck her at once. "I think she was jealous of my affection for you."

"Then my sacrifice was not needed?" Sarah asked.

Jareth shrugged. "I don't know that magic, so I can't say." He took Sarah's hand in his. "But believe me when I say I would have rather stayed dead than spent my life without you."

Sarah sobbed and leaned her head against his shoulder. Jareth circled his arm around her shoulder and gently rubbed her back. When she had spilled the rest of her tears she wiped at her eyes and apologized for wetting his shoulder. Jareth smiled and immediately forgave her. His expression then went grim.

"That's not the only reason I came," Jareth stated. She looked up. "I doubt if your friends told you." Perhaps to spare you pain. "Two months after you were banished from the Underground…Mizumi and I were married."

The news pierced Sarah like a knife. She sniffed then said, "Congratulations."

Jareth shook his head. "I don't believe it's any reason to wish me good fortune," he said. "I stole a drop of Mizumi's elixir when she turned her back and gave it to Horace. In secret I asked him and several competent goblins and elves to try and imitate it."

"What are you saying?" Sarah asked.

"When the day comes when I no longer need her magic to keep me alive I will return for you," he said then kissed her on the forehead.

Sarah frowned, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

Jareth glowered at the memory of Mizumi's final words to Sarah. "It's what she deserves for shamming me into this loveless marriage." He kissed her hand then stepped towards the window. "I must return before my wife notices I've disappeared. Until that day comes I will use this loophole to visit you."

With those words he returned to his owl form and exited through the open window. Sarah watched as his small figure vanished into the night sky.

She sat back down where Jareth had held her just moments ago. A smile gradually spread across her face. When he returned she could see her friends again, and what's more she could be with the man she finally realized she loved.

In the meantime all she could do was hope and pray that Horace and the others soon discovered the secret medicine. Then she could spend every day in the king's embrace.

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I hope you all enjoyed that. As of now there is not going to be a sequel. If anyone wants to write a possible sequel, please let me know.


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